18-party calls off May 2 hartal

The BNP-led 18-party alliance has withdrawn its May 2 countrywide hartal (shutdown) for the sake of smooth rescue operation at Rana Plaza in Savar.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has thanked the opposition for withdrawing hartal.

On Saturday, the opposition alliance made the hartal call protesting the “killing of garment workers and the government’s failure and inadequate action in rescuing the Savar victims.”

The nine-storey Rana Plaza, housing five garment factories, a branch of Brac Bank and a shopping mall, collapsed on Wednesday, trapping several thousands people inside it.

Earlier on April 28, the Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) called off its countrywide hartal slated for May 2 after the 18-party opposition declared the shutdown for the same day.

The opposition alliance made the withdrawal call on Tuesday through a press release signed by Maruf Kamal Khan, press secretary of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia.

In a response to the prime minister's call and for the sake of humanity, the alliance has withdrawn the May 2 hartal to let all stand united by the victims at this tragic moment of the country, the press release reads.

"We hope that the prime minister will respond to our calls for a greater cause the way we are responding to her," it added.