Rizvi leads procession in Dhaka to enforce blockade
BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi led a procession march in the capital this morning to enforce the nationwide 48-hour blockade called by the party, Jamaat and others.
On the first day of the third round of the comprehensive blockade aimed at demanding the government's resignation and a singular demand for a caretaker government, Rizvi marched with the BNP activists on Wednesday (8 November).
The demonstration commenced at 7:30am in the Uttara House building area, where they blocked roads and engaged in picketing.
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At that time former Joint Secretary of Dhaka Metropolitan North BNP Kofil Uddin, Acting Office Secretary of Metropolitan North BNP ABM Abdur Razzak, Dakshinkhan Thana BNP President Abdul Motaleb, BNP leader Zahid Master and others were present.
Earlier on 3 November, Rizvi said, the last party man out of jail will lead BNP's ongoing movement against the government,
On 1 November, Rizvi took to the street in the capital's Rampura area on the second day of the party's blockade protesting against the recent arrests of party leaders. On 29 October, the BNP and other organisations announced a three-day nationwide blockade.
During the hartal on Sunday (29 October), no BNP leaders and activists were seen near the BNP's Nayapaltan office after police cordoned off the central office with a crime scene yellow tape in the morning.
It was Rizvi who led the picketing in three Dhaka areas — Shantinagar, Adabar, Gulshan — during BNP's hartal.
This is not the first time Rizvi has taken the streets either.
During the blockade in 2014, he stayed inside the BNP's Nayapaltan central office for three months straight.
Chhatra Dal leaders and activists rallied in programme at Gopibag railway station in Dhaka, leading to a blockade of the railway line.
On Wednesday morning, Chhatra Dal Central Parliament Joint General Secretary, Dr Awal, along with Chhatra Dal leaders and activists, took to the railway station to demonstrate their support for the BNP's call for a nationwide blockade.
Dr Awal addressed the gathered crowd before the railway blockade and picketing, echoing the words of Tarique Rahman, "If you can't participate in the highway procession-picketing, then stay home if necessary. Vehicles without passengers should not be on the road unless they have passengers. This is how you can express your protest."
Several prominent Chhatra Dal leaders, including Mohiuddin Mahi, Syeda Sumaiya Parveen of Eden Women's College Chhatra Dal, Khandaker Aman, Miraj Hossain, Siam, Ashraful Asad, Kazi Kawsar of Bangla College Chhatra Dal, and others, stood in solidarity at the event. Students from various universities and institutions, including Sher Bangla Krishi University, Government Madrasa-e-Aliya, and Private University, joined the demonstration, expressing their support for the ongoing protest.
After a day's pause, the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami enforced another 48-hour countrywide road-rail-waterway blockade beginning from 6:00am today (8 November).
Arrests, arson attacks on vehicles and clashes marked the previous two phases of blockade — one for three days starting from 31 October and the other for two days starting from 5 November.
