BNP on Sunday announced a countrywide demonstration for Wednesday, February 17, protesting what it said was an “evil effort” to repeal the party founder shaheed president Ziaur Rahman's Bir Uttam gallantry title.
Party standing committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain came up with the announcement at a press conference at BNP Chairperson's Gulshan office.
As part of the program, he said their party leaders and activists will stage demonstrations and protest rallies in all district towns and cities, except the Barisal division, on Wednesday.
As per their scheduled program, the BNP leader said their party will hold a rally in Barisal city on Thursday, February 18, demanding the “restoration” of democracy and people's voting rights.
He urged party leaders and activists to make their programs a success.
Mosharraf said they will announce different programs in phases in the days to come as they want to reach their goal by intensifying the ongoing movement for ousting the government and restoring democracy.
Earlier on Saturday, BNP leaders and activists locked into a clash with police at the end of a protest rally of the party in front of Jatiya Press Club in the capital, leaving over a hundred people injured.
The party arranged the rally in protest against the Jatiya Muktijoddha Council's (Jamuka's) move to revoke party founder Ziaur Rahman's gallantry title of Bir Uttam.
Mosharraf said Jamuka has taken the move for repealing Zia's title as part of the government's plan to mislead people.
Meanwhile, the Jatiya Muktijoddha Council (Jamuka) at a meeting on Tuesday, February 16, discussed the ways to revoke the gallantry title of Ziaur Rahman for “violating” the constitution, “abetting” the self-proclaimed killers of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in escaping the country.
The meeting also agreed to repeal then state-given awards to Bangabandhu's four convicted killers Noor Chowdhury, Shariful Haque Dalim, Mosleh Uddin, and Rashed Chowdhury.
Bir Uttam, the second-highest award for individual gallantry in Bangladesh, was conferred on Ziaur Rahman for his contributions to the Liberation War as a sector commander.
