Bangladesh opposition parties call 48-hour nationwide strike, demand cancellation of polls

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) on Thursday (Nov 16) announced a nationwide strike for 48 hours beginning from Sunday (Nov 19) in order to protest against the decision taken by the Election Commission (EC) for the next general elections due on January 7, 2024, as per local media reports.

BNP's Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi made the announcement at a virtual media briefing on Wednesday evening.

The closure will start at 6 am on Sunday (Nov 19) and will conclude at 6 pm on Tuesday (Nov 21).

Rizvi further said that this strike was also aimed at mounting pressure on the government to step down on giving power to a neutral government and free the arrested BNP leaders and workers, including its secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.

Other opposition parties like Gono Odhikar Parishad and Labour Party also announced to enforce a 48-hour strike during the same period.

"Everybody in Bangladesh knows the outcome of this election," Abdul Moyeen Khan, member of the highest policy-making body of the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), told news agency Reuters on Thursday.

"What's the point in becoming a part of that drama? There is no point in going to a meaningless election. Democracy is dead in Bangladesh."

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal, on Wednesday (Nov 15), in a televised speech announced that the general elections in Bangladesh will be held on January 7, 2024.

Violent protests in Bangladesh

The announcement came amid violent protestsstaged by opposition parties demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for a caretaker government to take over.

Since October 28, at least four people, including a policeman, were killed and hundreds injured in violent protests.

Local media reports stated that around 8,000 opposition leaders and activists, including BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, have been arrested in a nationwide crackdown.

Hasina has tightly ruled the South Asian country since coming to power in 2009. However, her rule has been widely criticised for human rights violations, cracking down on free speech and suppressing dissent while jailing her critics.

(With inputs from agencies)