BNP, Jamaat call 36-hour hartal

The main opposition BNP and its key ally Jamaat-e-Islami yesterday called for a countrywide 36-hour hartal from tomorrow dawn, demanding continuation of caretaker government system and protesting at the recommendations of the parliamentary special committee on constitutional amendment.
It is going to be the longest in duration since the Awami League-led grand alliance came to power. The opposition on Sunday enforced a dawn-to-dusk strike on the caretaker system issue.
Release of leaders, now in jail on different charges including crimes against humanity, has been added by Jamaat to the list of demands.
Other two components of BNP-led alliance -- Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP) and Islami Oikya Jote (Aminee) -- will also observe the non-stop shutdown.
BNP Acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and Jamaat Acting Secretary General ATM Azharul Islam announced the programme from separate press conferences held at respective party offices in the city.
Both of them said “the committee's suggestion for dropping 'absolute trust and faith upon almighty Allah' as one of the fundamental principles of the constitution and the government's efforts to break off relations with the Muslim world and failure to check price hike of essentials” are also among the reasons behind imposing the strike.
“People will observe the hartal spontaneously like the one on June 5,” Alamgir told newsmen. A large number of party leaders, activists, and supporters were present during the press briefing at its Naya Paltan office.
He said, “I know people will suffer from hartal. But the hartal has been called to protect their right to vote. So, I urge all to make it successful.”
The special body submitted the recommendations, including scrapping of non-party CG system, before the House on Wednesday.
The same day, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia held an emergency meeting with the party policymakers and decided to go for a tougher movement. They also decided to boycott its dialogue with Election Commission scheduled for Monday.
Khaleda, also the opposition leader in parliament, has already said they would not participate in the next parliamentary polls unless held under a CG.
A debate raged over the CG issue after the SC declared illegal the constitutional provision that mandates an elected government to transfer power to an unelected non-partisan caretaker administration.
The interim government's main task is to give all possible aid and assistance to the EC for holding a parliamentary election peacefully and fairly.
The court also observed that the system might be followed to hold two more general polls for the sake of "safety of the state and its people".
The parliamentary special committee now leaves it to the House to decide whether the CG system will continue or not.
Yesterday, asked about the logic behind the hartal for long 36 hours, Alamgir said the government did not address their demands even after a successful 12-hour hartal. So, they went for a tougher action.
He warned the government of dire consequences if it obstructs their programmes and torture and arrest his party colleagues during the strike.
Addressing the briefing at Jamaat's Moghbazar office, Azharul Islam said most of the 51-point recommendation of the special committee goes against the national interest.
He slammed the special body mainly for suggesting inclusion of secularism as one of the fundamental principles of the charter.
However, The Daily Star has got a copy of the committee report on the constitutional amendment.
The House body has proposed to insert secularism as one of the principles in the charter, keeping Islam as the state religion ensuring equal rights also for the Hindus, Buddhists, Christians and people of other religions.
Azharul also said "The government is conspiring to abolish the caretaker government system as they are sure about their defeat in the next election."
Asked about the proposed national budget for the fiscal year 2011-12, BNP leader Alamgir said they are still reviewing it while Jamaat leader Azharul said the budget would not solve the financial woes of the people.