Eight BNP leaders jailed, party calls for 36-hour strike
8 from Bangladesh Nationalist Party were sent to jail after being refused bail in connection with cases filed against them for last month`s violence in Dhaka, prompting 36-hour strike from April 9.
|Last Updated: Apr 07, 2013, 10:12 PM IST|Source: Bureau
Dhaka: Eight stalwarts of the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party were sent to jail on Sunday after being refused bail in connection with cases filed against them for last month`s violence in the capital, prompting the party to call a 36-hour nationwide strike from April 9.
Three separate courts in Dhaka sent the eight leaders to jail, refusing their bail petition as they appeared in the docks after police filed a series of cases accusing them of vandalism during opposition street protests last month as part of their anti-government campaign.
Announcing the strike, BNP spokesman Salahuddin Ahmed strongly criticised the courts` decision and said, "The government has adopted the strategy of repressing the opposition to divert the peoples’ attention from its misdeeds and failures."
The development came a day after tens of thousands of supporters of a radical Muslim group today wrapped up a rally demanding stern punitive action against `atheist bloggers` under a blasphemy law.
Soon after the BNP`s strike call, suspected opposition activists set fire to five buses and cars in different parts of the capital prompting transport operators and owners to quickly withdraw their vehicles fearing violence.
The government in a simultaneous action ordered paramilitary Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) to patrol Dhaka streets to enforce a security vigil against vandalism.
PTI
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.