The main opposition Awami League (AL) yesterday cut its April 7 dawn-to-dusk hartal by an hour to clear way for World Health Organisation (WHO) programmes marking International Health Day.

"We complied with a WHO request and decided to enforce the hartal from 6:00am to 5:00pm," said AL General Secretary Abdul Jalil, emerging from a party presidium meeting, chaired by AL President Sheikh Hasina at Dhanmondi office.

Jalil confirmed that the 6:00am to 6:00pm shutdown scheduled for April 8 would remain unchanged.

The Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) of Hasanul Haq Inu also called hartal for April 7-8 in a simultaneous demonstration against the government.

The AL meeting also decided to stage street agitation in Old Dhaka on Sunday as the main opposition party builds up a campaign for the fall of the ruling coalition by April 30.

The party will lead an afternoon procession from Bahadur Shah Park to the Central Shaheed Minar after meandering through Sadarghat, Patuatuli, Islampur, Chawkbazar and Nazirabazar, Jalil said.

The AL presidium members slated the government for renewing contractual appointments of Inspector General of Police (IGP) Shahudul Haque and Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner Ahsraful Huda and said such appointments would sideline regular officials.

On IGP's contract renewal, Jalil said: "The High Court convicted the IGP of court contempt and his renewal of appointment is but an immoral move and runs afoul of the court ruling."

The meeting described the month-long adjournment of the current session of parliament as unprecedented. "It's nothing but waste of state money. The lawmakers will take their allowances without work," Jalil said.

Expressing concern at law and order downslide, the meeting demanded immediate arrest of the killers of Old Dhaka businessman Shamsul Haq and his son Sheikh Russell.

The leader once again demanded immediate resignation of the BNP-Jamaat coalition followed by snap polls.