Protest hartals on Aug 24, 25

Demanding immediate resignation of the ruling coalition, the mainstream opposition political parties yesterday called dawn-to-dusk hartals on August 24 and 25 to protest the grenade attack on the Awami League (AL) rally in the capital.

"It is our instant reaction and programme in protest against the barbaric attack aimed at killing our leader Sheikh Hasina. We, all the democratic and progressive parties, will chalk out the next programme within four or five days," AL General Secretary Abdul Jalil told reporters emerging from a joint meeting of the parties.

Different political parties took part in the meeting held at the AL president's residence Sudha Sadan last night to take up a combined programme to resist fundamentalists in the wake of the attack on the AL rally at Bangabandhu Avenue.

Apart from the hartals, the

opposition parties will also hold janaja of those killed in yesterday's attack at Baitul Mukarram mosque after Asr prayers and bring out a mourning procession from there. They will also hold gayebana janaja today throughout the country.

The parties will stage demonstrations across the country tomorrow to protest the attack.

The meeting chaired by Sheikh Hasina was attended by top leaders of the left leaning 11-party alliance and Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD).

Meanwhile, Chittagong Mayor and AL leader ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury called a 24-hour hartal in the district from 6:00am today, protesting the attack. He asked all shops and business houses to remain closed for seven days from today as a mark of protest.

This story was published on August 22, 2004