The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has announced a fresh 48-hour nationwide blockade for Wednesday and Thursday.

BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi announced the programme at a virtual press briefing on Monday (13 November) afternoon.

The fifth-phase blockade will be effective from 6am Wednesday till 6am on Friday, Rizvi said.

Jamaat-e-Islami and other like-minded parties are also expected to declare a similar programme, sources said. 

The fresh agitation was announced before the end of a two-day nationwide blockade on Monday that has been marked by widespread incidents of arson violence across the country.

The party called the fifth spell of countrywide blockade of roads, rail lines, and waterways to press home their one-point demand ahead of the national election. 

The presence of public transport on Dhaka roads seemed usual during the ongoing blockade despite heightened tension and fear of violence. 

The fourth phase of blockade also witnessed a slight increase in the operations of mid and long-distance buses at the Mohakhali Inter-district Bus terminal.

Political turmoil has engulfed the country since October 28 when opposition demonstrations were marked by clashes, deaths and violence. 

The BNP had declared a nationwide shutdown for 29 October, and enforced a three-day blockade from 31 October to 2 November and with another phase from 5 to 6 November.

On 9 November, BNP-Jamaat and allies announced the latest 48-hour blockade across the country beginning Sunday morning.