Bangladesh's main opposition party BNP on Sunday Dec 29,2013 announced that it would
stage non-stop sit-in protests like Mahatma Gandhi's Satyagraha across
the country until the general election scheduled for January 5,2014 was not
scrapped.
The announcement came hours after police prevented opposition leader Khaleda Zia from leaving her house to address a banned mass march.
"We will protest (against the government's move) taking position on the roads, railways and waterways like Mahatma Gandhi's Satyagraha," BNP's vice-president Hafizuddin Ahmed told
"This is not a new idea," BNP's vice-president Hafizuddin Ahmed said referring to Gandhi who had introduced the Satyagraha or nonviolent resistance to fight colonial British regime in India. Ahmed said activists of the BNP-led 18-party alliance would gather on the roads, railways and waterways until the January 5,2014 polls were shelved.
The BNP-led 18-party opposition alliance is boycotting the polls and political violence during nationwide strikes and blockades enforced by the opposition have left over 120 people dead and crippled the economy since November 2013
Also, a key ally of Sheikh Hasina's Awami League party has also boycotted the polls.
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina criticised a section of the country's "eminent citizens" who suggested that the government should defer the polls. "They (civil society) have called for halting the polls seemingly to invite unconstitutional force...whenever the unconstitutional forces assumes power the importance of theirs increases,"
and insists the vote will go ahead as planned
A security blanket was thrown over the Bangladesh capital for the second consecutive day on Monday Dec 30,2013 with troops guarding key points to secure them from a BNP-led opposition movement that threatens to continue until the January 5 elections are called off.
Police in riot gears continued to lay sieges around BNP chief and ex-prime minister Khaleda Zia's residence and her party's central in Dhaka, a day after two persons were killed in clashes between opposition supporters and security forces. Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) were positioned at areas deemed trouble spots while paramilitary Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) troops and elite anti-crime Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) forces patrol the city streets.
There were street battles across the country between supporters of the opposition and the ruling Awami League.
The announcement came hours after police prevented opposition leader Khaleda Zia from leaving her house to address a banned mass march.
"We will protest (against the government's move) taking position on the roads, railways and waterways like Mahatma Gandhi's Satyagraha," BNP's vice-president Hafizuddin Ahmed told
"This is not a new idea," BNP's vice-president Hafizuddin Ahmed said referring to Gandhi who had introduced the Satyagraha or nonviolent resistance to fight colonial British regime in India. Ahmed said activists of the BNP-led 18-party alliance would gather on the roads, railways and waterways until the January 5,2014 polls were shelved.
The BNP-led 18-party opposition alliance is boycotting the polls and political violence during nationwide strikes and blockades enforced by the opposition have left over 120 people dead and crippled the economy since November 2013
Also, a key ally of Sheikh Hasina's Awami League party has also boycotted the polls.
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina criticised a section of the country's "eminent citizens" who suggested that the government should defer the polls. "They (civil society) have called for halting the polls seemingly to invite unconstitutional force...whenever the unconstitutional forces assumes power the importance of theirs increases,"
and insists the vote will go ahead as planned
A security blanket was thrown over the Bangladesh capital for the second consecutive day on Monday Dec 30,2013 with troops guarding key points to secure them from a BNP-led opposition movement that threatens to continue until the January 5 elections are called off.
Police in riot gears continued to lay sieges around BNP chief and ex-prime minister Khaleda Zia's residence and her party's central in Dhaka, a day after two persons were killed in clashes between opposition supporters and security forces. Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) were positioned at areas deemed trouble spots while paramilitary Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) troops and elite anti-crime Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) forces patrol the city streets.
There were street battles across the country between supporters of the opposition and the ruling Awami League.
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