Khaleda not happy with Hefajat programmes

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia last night expressed her displeasure with those leaders of the 18-party alliance involved in Hefajat-e Islam movement for not coming up with tougher programmes to realise the Islamists’ demands.
Leaders of the alliance at a meeting decided to enforce a two-day non-stop hartal from April 9 if the detained BNP leaders were not granted bail by today.
Chaired by Khaleda at her Gulshan office, the meeting decided to suspend the BNP-led alliance's earlier announced April 10 rally in the capital aimed at ousting the government, Shawkat Hosain Nilu, chief of a component of the alliance National Peoples Party, told The Daily Star.
The BNP chief asked Islami Oikya Jote Chairman Abdul Latif Nejami and leaders of Khelafat Majlish and Nejame Islami Party why Hefajat-e Islam did not announce tougher programmes including two or three-day hartal from its rally at Motijheel in the capital yesterday.
She also asked them why they the Hefajat programme was not turned into a sit-in for several days, though its field level leaders demanded so, a top leader of the alliance told this correspondent.
Wishing anonymity, he said, "They [alliance leaders] had information that the grassroots level activists of Hefajat wanted continuing the Shalpa Chatter programme. But its ameer did not agree to it.”
Earlier, at a meeting of BNP standing committee, Khaleda came down heavily on its members for the same reason, said meeting sources.