DHAKA: Against the backdrop of hartal hullabaloo, opposition BNP Friday warned the government of reprisals if their programmes are “obstructed in the future”.

“Any obstruction will now be retaliated…they have tried to obstruct but failed. If there is any further obstruction to our peaceful demonstrations in the future, they will get the result,” BNP secretary-general Khandaker Delwar Hossain said at a press briefing after a joint meeting of the party and its front organisations at their central office.

The BNP leader alleged that the ruling party tried hard to resist the hartal on June 27 with all its might, but failed.

“Chhatra League, Juba League and police forces attacked and tortured opposition leaders and workers during the hartal for which we have announced a programme of forming human chains on July 7,” he said.

Referring to the arrest of top leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami, he deplored that the leaders fell “prey to government’s conspiracy”.   

When asked if they would go for joint-programme with Jamaat-e-Islami to protest the arrests, the BNP leader avoided a direct answer as he said, “We support them and it will continue the same way they support us.”  

BNP vice-chairman Altaf Hossain Chowdhury, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, former Mayor of Rajshahi Mizanur Rahman Minu, Abul Khair Bhuiyan MP and Juba Dal President Moazzem Hossain Alal were present at the meeting.

BDST: 10:50 HRS, JULY 2, 2010.