BNP reschedules hartal to Tuesday citing state mourning day

BNP has rescheduled their previously planned dawn-to-dusk hartal from Monday to Tuesday in light of Bangladesh's one-day state mourning scheduled for tomorrow (18 December) following the passing of Kuwait's Emir, Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Sabah.

The change in plans was announced today during a virtual briefing by BNP's Senior Joint Secretary General Advocate Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.

Earlier on 17 December, BNP announced the hartal amid a home ministry instruction to the returning officers to prevent political gatherings, rallies, and similar programmes from 18 December until the end of the 12th parliamentary election, slated for 7 January.

Meanwhile, Jamaat acting secretary general Maulana ATM Masum said in a statement that the party will also enforce hartal on Monday. 

After the passing of the Kuwait Emir, the Cabinet Division issued a notification on Friday directing all government, semi-government, and autonomous institutions, educational institutions, and Bangladeshi missions abroad to display the national flag at half-mast as a mark of respect for the departed soul.

For the fourth time, BNP has declared hartal on Monday since 28 October. In addition to the hartal, the party has implemented a 22-day blockade programme in 11 phases.

After the disruption of BNP's grand rally in Dhaka on 28 October, the party initiated a day-long hartal nationwide on 29 October. Subsequently, the party has been organising programmes such as blockades and occasional hartals lasting for one or two days.

These actions by BNP are in pursuit of several demands, including the resignation of the government, the conduct of elections under a non-partisan government, the release of party leaders and activists, and an end to harassment against party members.

Other political parties engaged in a simultaneous movement with BNP are also executing similar programmes.