BNP, allies to wage movement this month

The BNP-led 20-party alliance last night decided to wage a strong movement from the second week of this month to realise its demand for a fresh national election under a non-party administration.
As part of the movement, the combine will carry out extensive campaigns to be led by BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia to drum up public support in favour of its demand.
The decision came at a meeting of the chiefs of the alliance components at the BNP chief's Gulshan office in the capital.
They gave Khaleda, also chief of the alliance, the mandate to decide on the date and nature of the movement, a top leader of a component in the combine told The Daily Star on condition of anonymity.
The alliance leaders blasted Posts, Telecommunications and IT Minister Abdul Latif Siddique for his derogatory remarks on hajj, Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (SM) and Tabligh Jamaat.
Khaleda was given the responsibility to finalise the alliance's programmes in protest of Siddique's remarks. The decision on the matter will be made public at a press conference this morning at BNP's Nayapaltan office, said sources.
There was no briefing last night for reporters who were kept waiting till the end of the two-hour meeting that started at 9:00pm.
However, reporters were told that acting BNP secretary general Fakhrul Islam Alamgir would brief the media at 11:00am today about the alliance's decisions.