BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam has asked his party leaders and activists to get ready to take to streets before waging non-cooperation movement.

He made the call at a protest rally held in front of the National Press Club in Dhaka on Tuesday afternoon.

BNP’s Dhaka City north and south units organized the rally protesting the killing of a Swecchasebak Dal activist Abdur Rahim during a clash between police and BNP men in Bhola.

The leaders and activists present at the rally demanded hartal and non-cooperation programmes. In response to their demand, the BNP secretary general said take to the streets first, then hartal.

Fakhrul further said this occupying government must be ousted from the power and a government of people must be formed.

BNP’s associate bodies will hold a protest programme from the next day, he said.

The BNP secretary general said, “The time has come to give hurricane lamp to this government. Sri Lanka’s Rajapaksa fled. He is now staying in Maldives. All the dictators of the world have to face this same fate. Dictator tries to flee but people don’t let it happen.”

He urged the party leaders and workers to wake up. “Everyone should wake up and occupy the streets. This government cannot be given any more time. Now there is only one point and demand, this government should be ousted.”

 Dhaka City North BNP convener Amanullah Aman presided over the rally where, among others, BNP standing committee members Khandkar Mosharraf Hossain, Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, chairperson’s adviser Abdus Salam and organizing secretary Abdus Salam Azad spoke at the rally.