The main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party on Sunday declared a six-day fresh programme, including mass contact and leaflet distribution, across the country beginning on Tuesday as part of its ongoing movement demanding the cancellation of the 12th parliament and a fresh election under a non-party election-time administration.

The party’s senior joint secretary general, Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, announced this at a press briefing at the party’s Naya Paltan central office.

He said that as part of the programme, leaders and activists of the party and its associate bodies would carry out mass contact and distribute leaflets in Dhaka and all other metropolitan cities on February 13 and 14.

A similar programme will also be observed in all district towns on February 17 and in all upazilas, thanas, municipalities, and unions on February 18 and 19.

Besides, the party will arrange a prayer session after jumma prayers in all mosques across the country on February 16 in memory of Bangladeshis killed in recent firing along the Bangladesh and Myanmar borders.

Rizvi said that their mass contact and leaflet distribution programmes were also meant to mount pressure on the government to control prices of essential commodities and to release BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia, secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, standing committee members Mirza Abbas, Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, and other jailed leaders and activists.

He called upon party leaders and activists at all levels to make their fresh programmes a success by braving all possible obstacles and adversities.

This will be the BNP’s third round of street programmes after the 12th parliamentary election held on January 7.

Earlier on January 27, BNP observed a black-flag procession programme in all metropolitan cities, including Dhaka, demanding the cancellation of the 12th parliamentary election and protesting the price hike of essential commodities.

Later, the BNP announced to take out processions holding black flags across the country, including in the capital, on January 30, the first day the 12th parliament went into session, demanding a fresh election under a non-party government.

However, the police did not allow the BNP to take out processions at seven points in the capital on that day, as the party was not permitted to observe the programme on the first day of the new parliament session.