BNP announces fresh protests for Khaleda's release

BNP announced on Thursday another round of peaceful countrywide programmes demanding release of its chairperson Khaleda Zia from jail, reports UNB.
The programmes include a signature campaign across the country on Saturday, submitting memorandums to all the deputy commissioner offices on Sunday and staging demonstrations in all the district towns and metropolitan cities, except Dhaka, on Tuesday.
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir announced the programmes at a press conference at the party's Nayapaltan central office.
"We want peace, not any violence. We also want to create a peaceful atmosphere in the country so that people can freely exercise their voting right. With this goal in mind, we're announcing peaceful programmes demanding our leader's (Khaleda's) unconditional release," he said.
Fakhrul said they also want to hold a public rally at Suhrawardy Udyan in the city and soon seek permission for it after fixing a date for it.
A special court convicted former prime minister and BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia and sentenced her to five years' imprisonment in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case on February 8 last. She was then sent to subjail on the premises of the old central jail on the Nazimuddin Road in the city.
Hours after she was taken to jail, the party announced countrywide demonstrations for Friday and Saturday last.
Later, the party announced a three-day programme from Monday to Wednesday demanding her immediate release.
As part of the programmes, the party observed a hunger strike on Wednesday and formed a human chain in front of the Jatiya Press Club on Monday and staged a sit-in programme in front of the party's Nayapaltan central office on Tuesday.