BNP declared a dawn-to-dusk hartal countrywide on Monday demanding the resignation of the government to pave the way for an election under a non-partisan government.

BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi announced the programme at a virtual press briefing on Saturday.

Rizvi called upon the country's people and the supporters of BNP and like-minded parties to observe the programme spontaneously to make it successful.

Rizvi said the fresh hartal program is also meant to mount pressure on the government to quit, hold the next election under a non-party neutral government and release party leaders and activists, including its secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.

He also urged people not to go to polling centres on January 7 to cast votes in the 12th parliamentary election.