Sramik-Karmachari-Peshajibi-Muktijoddha Samannay Parishad demanded on Saturday that the government arrest BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia, if she does not withdraw hartal and blockade immediately.
They also threatened to lay siege to her political office at Gulshan in the capital, unless the BNP-led 20-party alliance declares an end to what they called destructive programmes.
"You (Khaleda Zia) must stop violence that continues in the name of blockade and hartal… otherwise we will besiege you inside your office. We will call upon the government to arrest you," Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan, also convener of the platform, said at a national convention in the Bangladesh Medical Association (BMA) auditorium in the capital on the day.
He said that due to the ongoing blockade and hartal enforced by the BNP-led alliance, a number of people, including 27 transport workers, drivers and helpers, died and many others were injured.
Mr Khan called upon the BNP-led 20-party alliance to shun the path of such destructive politics. "Political unrest along with violence has worsened the situation of the country. It is also hurting the country's economy."
The shipping minister urged the people to hate those getting involved in terrorist acts in the name of democracy and hold rallies and meetings against violence and stay alert and on the streets alongside the law enforcement agencies to keep vehicular movement smooth.
He announced a set of programmes to be observed from February 9 to 18 across the country.
As part of the programmes, they will hold rallies in the capital on February 9 to 11.
On February 12 at 11:00 am rallies and protests will be held at all bus, truck and tank lorry terminals and they will hand over a memorandum to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina seeking arrest of Khaleda Zia and punitive action against anarchists. There will be a protest through lighting candles in front of the National Press Club at 6:15 pm on February 15.
A rally will be held at 11:00 am at Wander Land Park at Gulshan and a move to lay siege to Khaleda Zia's political office on February 16. There will also be rallies in all districts on the same day.
A procession with carrying national flags from Shapla Chhatar to Shaheed Minar will be arranged on February 18.
The Bangladesh Muktijoddha Sangsad will bring out a truck procession in the capital and will proceed towards BNP chairperson's political office at Gulshan. The date of the programme will be fixed later.
The other programmes include holding meetings with the family members of petrol bomb victims, showing torched and damaged vehicles by BNP and Jamaat, holding rallies at divisional, districts level, garment industrial belts, bus, lunch and railway terminals, showing video footages of BNP-Jamaat acts of anarchy and damaged vehicles throughout the country and a grand rally of Muktijoddha in the capital at the end of March.
Joint convenors of SKPMSP Sirin Akter MP and Lima Ferdous, Vice Chairman of Muktijoddah Sangsad Ismat Kadir Gama, President of Collective Bargaining Agent (CBA) of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) Md Mohsin Biswas, General Secretary of Nirman Sramik League Sheikh Md Nurul Haque, General Secretary of CBA of Bangladesh Land Ports Authority Jamaluddin Jibon, General Secretary of Bangladesh Jahaji Sramik Federation Md Jahangir Alam, President of CBA of Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) Amir Abdul Ali Sagar and Adviser of Bus Owners Association of Mohakhali terminal Hasan Imam and human rights activist Selina Akter, among others, were present.
talhabinhabib@yahoo.com
Stop violence in name of blockade: Shajahan
FE Report | Published: February 08, 2015 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00
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