The Gonotantra Mancha, an alliance of anti-government political parties, is planning to stage a three-hour sit-in protest in Dhaka and the rest of the country as part of the opposition campaign to topple the ruling Awami League.
On Friday, the alliance announced the programme at a meeting prior to a mass procession, reports bdnews24.com.
"We'll hold a sit-in programme in 10 divisional cities on Jan 11, seeking the release of all political prisoners, including Khaleda Zia, Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and Mirza Abbas, who have been arrested in fabricated cases," Bhasani Followers Council Convener Sheikh Rafiqul Islam, a leader of the Gonotantra Moncho, said.
In Dhaka, the sit-in programme will take place at the National Press Club from 11 am to 2 pm, according to him.
The Gonotantra Moncho was among several political parties that are supporting the BNP's 'simultaneous' anti-government campaign. On Friday, the BNP and its allies marched in separate processions across Dhaka as part of the campaign.
Ahead of the march, the Gonotantra Moncho held a rally at the National Press Club to protest the government's 'suppression' of voting rights. At least seven parties that are part of the platform participated in the rally.
After the rally, the group led a procession through Paltan that ended at Kakrail's Nightingale intersection.
"No fair election can be held under this conniving government. That's why we want to force this government to step down. After they step down, an interim government can be formed to oversee the election. There's no alternative to that," said Saiful Haque, general secretary of the Revolutionary Workers' Party of Bangladesh.
“If a fair election takes place in 50 percent of the constituencies, the Awami League candidates will lose.”