Opposition chief Khaleda Zia on Monday gave the government time until Eid-ul-Fitr to reinstate the provision for caretaker government or face tougher agitation.
The BNP chaiperson issued the fresh deadline at the 18-Party Alliance's rally after the opposition's June 10 ultimatum expired on Sunday.
Adressing the gathering, the leader of BNP that leads the coalition said they were not considering fresh agitation programmes, for now, so as to spare people of avoidable sufferings ahead of Ramadan.
Khaleda, who was widely expected to come up with tougher agitation programme with many of her coalition's senior leaders still in jail, announced mild protest programmes in the months of Jun and July instead.
However, programmes like countrywide shutdown and laying of siege would be announced after Eid-ul-Fitr, she announced from the rally held in front of the party's Naya Paltan headquarters on Monday.
People were expecting the opposition to go for tougher agitation as the three-month deadline BNP had given the government for reinstating the non-party caretaker government system expired on Sunday without evoking any response from the government.
On Mar 12, from a similar public rally, Khaleda had threatened that the opposition would not have any alternatives but to go for tougher movement if their demand was not met by June 10.
The situation wornsened – adding fuel to the public apprehension of violent political standoff – as the government instead of considering the demand, went tough on the opposition leaders, throwing many of them behind the bar.
"I want to tell the government, accept the demand of the non-party caretaker government ... Resolve the problem through dialogue this time. I hope the government will be wiser this time ... Otherwise, tougher agitation like countrywide shutdown will be announced after Eid-ul-Fitr," Khaleda warned at the rally.
Opposition leaders including BNP's Acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and its Dhaka metropolitan unit's President Sadeq Hossain Khoka are still inside jail even after securing bails from the court.
The protest programmes announced for the next two months are rallies on Jun 17 and 24, and July 1 and 15. The rallies will be organised across the country to press the government to meet their demands including cancellation of false cases against opposition leaders and their release.
The rallies will also protest what the opposition termed an 'anti-people budget' and demand 'return' of party leader M Ilias Ali, bringing killers of journalists duo Sagar-Runi and Saudi diplomat to justice, and reining in prices of essentials, fertilisers, agriculture products and power.
Besides, rallies will also be held at all metros and district towns on July 8 protesting corruption and gas-power-water crisis, and memorandum will be submitted to deputy commissioners.
Earlier, from a rally at Naya Paltan on Sept 27, the opposition leader had announced road march programme towards Sylhet, Chapainababganj, Khulna and Chittagong to drum up public support to their demands.
After ending the road-march programme at Chittagong on Dec 9, the opposition had announced another programme titled "Dhaka Cholo".
The BNP chaiperson issued the fresh deadline at the 18-Party Alliance's rally after the opposition's June 10 ultimatum expired on Sunday.
Adressing the gathering, the leader of BNP that leads the coalition said they were not considering fresh agitation programmes, for now, so as to spare people of avoidable sufferings ahead of Ramadan.
Khaleda, who was widely expected to come up with tougher agitation programme with many of her coalition's senior leaders still in jail, announced mild protest programmes in the months of Jun and July instead.
However, programmes like countrywide shutdown and laying of siege would be announced after Eid-ul-Fitr, she announced from the rally held in front of the party's Naya Paltan headquarters on Monday.
People were expecting the opposition to go for tougher agitation as the three-month deadline BNP had given the government for reinstating the non-party caretaker government system expired on Sunday without evoking any response from the government.
On Mar 12, from a similar public rally, Khaleda had threatened that the opposition would not have any alternatives but to go for tougher movement if their demand was not met by June 10.
The situation wornsened – adding fuel to the public apprehension of violent political standoff – as the government instead of considering the demand, went tough on the opposition leaders, throwing many of them behind the bar.
"I want to tell the government, accept the demand of the non-party caretaker government ... Resolve the problem through dialogue this time. I hope the government will be wiser this time ... Otherwise, tougher agitation like countrywide shutdown will be announced after Eid-ul-Fitr," Khaleda warned at the rally.
Opposition leaders including BNP's Acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and its Dhaka metropolitan unit's President Sadeq Hossain Khoka are still inside jail even after securing bails from the court.
The protest programmes announced for the next two months are rallies on Jun 17 and 24, and July 1 and 15. The rallies will be organised across the country to press the government to meet their demands including cancellation of false cases against opposition leaders and their release.
The rallies will also protest what the opposition termed an 'anti-people budget' and demand 'return' of party leader M Ilias Ali, bringing killers of journalists duo Sagar-Runi and Saudi diplomat to justice, and reining in prices of essentials, fertilisers, agriculture products and power.
Besides, rallies will also be held at all metros and district towns on July 8 protesting corruption and gas-power-water crisis, and memorandum will be submitted to deputy commissioners.
Earlier, from a rally at Naya Paltan on Sept 27, the opposition leader had announced road march programme towards Sylhet, Chapainababganj, Khulna and Chittagong to drum up public support to their demands.
After ending the road-march programme at Chittagong on Dec 9, the opposition had announced another programme titled "Dhaka Cholo".
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