Hartal called for Aug 12, 13

Hours after the High Court (HC) declared illegal its registration as a political party, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami called on Thursday 48-hour countrywide hartal for August 12 and 13, reports UNB. In a press statement on the day, Jamaat acting secretary general Rafiqul Islam Khan also announced to stage countrywide demonstrations tomorrow (Saturday). He mentioned that they declared the protest programmes, including hartal, against the government's conspiracies and designs to obliterate Jamaat. Earlier in the day, the HC declared illegal the registration of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami (BJI) as a political party. Rejecting the verdict, Rafiqul Islam said it was a wrong judgment pronounced by the HC bench. "The government's political motive has been manifested through the verdict." Claiming Jamaat as the main Islamist party of the country, he said Jamaat has the right to work as a political party as per Article 38 of the constitution. "This right prevails."