BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir yesterday said their party will free its Chairperson Khaleda Zia and realise their demands for a fair and credible election under a non-party administration, through a movement.

“We want a fair election in which people will be able to put a government of their choice in place. But the government is making the situation complicated. Our leader (Khaleda) was conveyed that her punishment has been enhanced. She said she won't bow down, no matter how much punishment she is given,” he said.

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Speaking at a token mass hunger strike programme at the Mahanagar Natya Mancha in the capital, the BNP leader further said, “Let's get united and defeat the current regime. We won't bow down as we'll realise our rights and demands through a movement.”

As part of its countrywide programme, BNP observed the five-hour hunger strike in the city from 10:00am, protesting the conviction of its Chairperson Khaleda Zia in Zia Charitable Trust graft case.

BNP leaders and activists broke their hunger strike by drinking water offered by former Vice Chancellor of Dhaka University Prof Emajuddin Ahmed.

Jatiya Oikyafront leaders and Nagorik Oikya convener Mahmudur Rahman Manna and JSD-Rob general secretary Abdul Malek Ratan and a number of 20-party alliance leaders expressed their solidarity with BNP leaders by joining the hunger strike.

BNP standing committee member Khandaker Musharraf Hossain said the Awami League has set up a trap with its offer for talks on the election. “We know Awami League very well. It won't work if you try to deceive us and push us into a trap through the dialogue.”

BNP standing committee member Moudud Ahmed urged their party men to take both physical and mental preparation for waging a movement to have their chairperson freed from jail.

Several hundred BNP leaders and activists joined the programme amid tight vigilance by police.

Earlier on Wednesday, the party formed human chains in the capital and elsewhere in the country, following demonstrations on Tuesday.