The BNP’s consecutive nationwide blockades and hartals will now be accompanied by public campaigns and protests, which it has announced to run for three days from Thursday before the party enforces another transport blockade on Sunday as part of its anti-government efforts.

In a virtual meeting on Wednesday, BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizbi said their allies and like-minded parties will announce similar programmes separately.

The BNP obstructed roads, railways and river routes for 48 hours on Dec 12 and 13 and the upcoming blockade on Sunday will be their 12th such round of programmes.

Since the violent clashes with police on Oct 28, the BNP and its allies enforced five days of hartals and 22 days of transport blockades.

Rizvi said the BNP will continue to boycott the election and instructed all party members to refrain from election-related activities.

He also urged their supporters to stop payment of taxes, fees and utility bills and refrain from keeping deposits in banks.

Describing the Hasina government as ‘fascist’, he called upon party leaders and supporters to boycott the election and reject its ‘one-sided’ arrangement.