Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) will hold nationwide protest rallies on Monday demanding immediate release of its chairperson Khaleda Zia to facilitate her advanced treatment abroad.
As part of the fresh programme to realise the demand, the party will hold a protest rally in front of the latiya Press Club in the city on the day while district and upazila units will also hold rallies in their respective areas.
BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir announced the fresh protest programme at a hunger strike in front of the party's Naya Paltan central office on Saturday.
Hundreds of the party leaders and activists participated in the hunger strike observed from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm moderated by BNP publicity secretary Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Ani.
Mr. Alamgir said that the condition of Khaleda Zia is now critical and she urgently needs medical treatment abroad.
"Khaleda Zia is now at the crucial juncture of her life. We (BNP) call upon the government to immediately release our party chairperson so that she could receive better medical treatment abroad," he said.
Her doctors at Evercare Hospital said the treatment she needs right now is not available in the country, Mr. Alamgir added.
He said the doctors opined that if she gets treatment abroad then there is a chance to save her life.
"But the present government out of personal vengeance is not allowing her (Khaleda Zia) to go abroad for better treatment," he lamented.
"She has the legal rights to receive treatment abroad," he asserted while referring to the negative comments made by the Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Advocate Anisul Huq regarding Khaleda Zia's medical treatment abroad".
Mr Alamgir said that the government has unleashed repressions on the country's people by using the state machinery to perpetuate their grip on power.
"The fascist government has snatched people's rights and came to power through a voterless election," he said.
He alleged that the present Awami League government has filed politically motivated cases against 3.5 million BNP leaders and activists.
He said that many party activists were killed and forcibly disappeared by the present 'fascist' government.
BNP Standing Committee Member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain called upon the government to stop the political vendetta.
BNP Standing Committee member Dr Khandakar Mosharraf Hossain, Dr Abdul Moin Khan, Nazrul Islam Khan, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, president of Jatiyatabadi Mahila Dal Afroza Abbas, general secretary of Swechchasebak Dal Abdul Quader Bhuiyan Jewel, general secretary of Jubo Dal Sultan Salahuddin Tuku, general secretary of Krishak Dal Shahidul Islam Babul, convener of Dhaka South BNP Abdus Salam, convener of Dhaka North BNP Amanullah Aman, former general secretary of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal Akramul Hasan Mintu, Convener of Nagorik Oikya Mahmudur Rahman Manna and ASM Abdur Rab, President of Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal(JSD) were present, among others.
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