BNP launches signature campaign

The BNP is seeking signatures as part of a public petition for the release of party chief Khaleda Zia, reports bdnews24.com.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir launched the programme at the party headquarters in Dhaka's Naya Paltan at 11am on Saturday by signing the form.

It was then signed by BNP Standing Committee members Khandker Mosharraf Hossain, Moudud Ahmed, Mirza Abbas, Abdul Moyeen Khan, Nazrul Islam Khan, Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury and Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.

The party will continue collecting signatures on the public petition until Khaleda is released, Mirza Fakhrul said.

BNP activists chanted slogans calling for Khaleda's release. Several top leaders of the 20-party alliance leaders also signed the petition.

Additional police were deployed in the area during the programme. Vehicles carrying water cannons also kept ready.

On Feb 8, Khaleda was sentenced to five years in prison in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case. The BNP held two days of protests immediately afterwards.