14-party calls hartal for Wednesday
Student strike today
Staff Correspondent
The Awami League (AL)-led 14-party opposition combine yesterday called a countrywide dawn to dusk hartal on August 30 to protest the killing of seven people by the law enforcers at Phulbari in Dinajpur.The decision came at a three-hour long meeting between Leader of the Opposition Sheikh Hasina and top leaders of the 14-party opposition combine at the AL's Dhanmondi office. Meanwhile, Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL)-led Chhatra Sangram Parishad and Progressive Students Alliance called for a strike in all educational institutions across the country today protesting the Phulbari killings. The meeting that ended at 8:00pm also decided to hold a grand rally in the capital on September 18 demanding immediate implementation of the proposals for reforms in the caretaker government system and the Election Commission, and protesting the BNP-Jamaat alliance government's 'widespread corruption, misrule, terrorism and price hike of essentials'. It will also observe a countrywide 'Day Against Torture' on September 7 protesting the BNP-Jamaat men's attacks, torture and filing false cases against the opposition men and arrest of opposition workers and leaders. The opposition combine will demonstrate across the country including the capital in observance of the day. "When people demonstrate against a dishonest treaty of the government, they kill people," Hasina, also president of the main opposition Awami League, told a news briefing. She demanded immediate halt to 'killing by the government'. A team of AL lawmakers and another team comprising 14-party leaders will visit Phulbari in a couple of days, the opposition leader said.
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