The duration of the strike has increased. 18 groups have called for an 84-hour strike

The Dhaka Times Desk The BNP-led 18-party alliance extended the pre-announcement schedule and announced a 84-hour strike. The strike was called for 72 hours yesterday.

18 groups have extended the hartal for another 12 hours. According to the new program, the hartal will continue for 84 hours from 6 am on Sunday to 6 pm on Wednesday.

BNP Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi Ahmed announced this program in a press briefing at the party office in Nayapaltan today at 12 noon on Saturday. He said that the strike period was extended by 12 hours in protest against the arrest of top leaders and the house-to-house police raids of activists. Earlier yesterday, there was a 72-hour hartal program from 6 am on Sunday to 6 am on Wednesday at the call of 18 parties on the demand of a non-partisan neutral government.

It is to be noted that the 18-party alliance observed a 60-hour strike last week demanding elections under a non-partisan government.