DHAKA, 25 March 2004 — Following up on its warnings, main opposition Awami League has called for countrywide dawn-to-dusk general strikes for April 7 and 8 to step up their movement for removing the ruling coalition government led by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party. Protest meetings and processions will mark the two-day shutdown.
Awami League president and Leader of the opposition Hasina Wajed presided over a meeting held at the party office here yesterday to finalize plans for the strike. Party sources said Awami League would bring out an Independence Day procession from Bangabandhu Avenue led by its chief, Hasina, on March 26. They will also form a “human wall” in the capital on March 30 and observe fundamental rights protection day on April 1. Khaleda will be holding a rally on May 1.
AL General Secretary Abdul Jalil had on Tuesday reaffirmed his party’s vow to unseat the government by April 30 through a mass movement including indefinite general strikes.
“Khaleda Zia will address her (planned) rally in the city on May 1 not as an incumbent, but as an ex-prime minister,” Jalil told newsmen after emerging from a meeting of the Awami League Central Working Committee held at its Dhanmondi office to finalize its plan of action for the government’s ouster. He said the main opposition party would soon launch a massive countrywide movement to overthrow Khaleda Zia’s government by April 30.
“You will see more general strikes very soon, even indefinite general strikes, until the BNP-Jamaat coalition government quits,” he said. Apart from general strikes, Awami League will organize train and road marches, he said. “We will force the alliance government to quit through a people’s movement, not by any other means,” Jalil said ruling out any undemocratic way for a government change.
