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Bangladeshi opposition extends nationwide strike till Thursday

Xinhua, February 3, 2015 Adjust font size:

Bangladesh's main opposition has extended its ongoing 72-hour nationwide strike till Thursday evening protesting filing of cases against ex-Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and other leaders.

Khaleda Zia's Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Spokesperson Salahuddin Ahmed made the announcement through a press release on Tuesday.

BNP and its allies has declared the 72-hour road, rail and waterway strike from Sunday morning amid its ongoing blockade campaign that entered 29th day on Tuesday in protest against some ruling Bangladesh Awami League (AL) party leaders' threats to arrest Khaleda Zia, also BNP chief.

The strike has been extended hours after Bangladeshi Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan Tuesday demanded immediate arrest of Khaleda Zia and urged Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina took steps in this regard for the sake of country.

Another AL leader AB Siddique Monday sued Khaleda Zia and three other leaders for allegedly killing 42 people in the fresh wave of violence during the BNP-led 20-party combine-enforced anti- government movement since Jan. 5.

Khaleda Zia's opposition alliance has been observing the nonstop blockade across the country since Jan. 5 demanding fresh elections under a non-party caretaker government system. Endi