BANGLADESH

The BNP on Wednesday called for the government's cooperation to peacefully stage the Jan 29 public procession in Dhaka, which opposition chief Khaleda Zia is scheduled to lead.

"Our programme shall be peaceful. We have already sent letters to the home minister, home secretary and Dhaka Metropolitan Police commissioner to take necessary steps to ensure peace and discipline," acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir told journalists.

BNP will host processions in Dhaka and around the country on the day demanding reinstatement of the constitutional provision of caretaker government to oversee parliamentary elections.

"We hope that the government will help us to successfully host our peaceful, democratic programme," the spokesperson said but was quick to warn the government that it would have to bear consequences should there be any bar to the procession.

The caution was thrown in the air after a meeting of the four-party coalition and like-minded political parties in the evening at BNP's Naya Paltan headquarters.

"Hosting processions and rallies are the democratic and constitutional right of political parties. Any bar to this programme will force us to announce harsher agitation," he added.

However, when asked, the BNP leader could not specify which streets the opposition supporters will march down, saying, "The route is yet to be finalised."