As part of the party’s countrywide programme, BNP’s Dhaka district unit submitted a memorandum to the Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) chairman protesting the ongoing loadshedding and 'corruption' in the power sector.

The leaders and activists of the BNP unit took a position in front of China Market in the Nayapaltan area around 11:30 am amid the inclement weather.

They took out a procession towards the BPDB’s Motijheel office around 12:30 pm, but police put up a barricade when it reached Arambagh crossing.

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Later, the party observed a brief sit-in there, led by its senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.

Speaking at the programme, Rizvi said many power plants have been shut down for lack of fuel and energey, causing serious power outages across the country.

“A ruling party MP said that electricity will be sold by street hawkers, but where is that power now,” he asked the government.

The BNP leader alleged that the current regime has snatched people’s all rights, including the freedom of speech.

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“This government has turned the entire country into a jail. All democratic forces are now united to get rid of this situation,” he observed.

Later, some leaders of the Dhaka district unit, including its president Khandakar Abu Ashfaq and general secretary Nipun Roy, went to the Power Development Board office and submitted the memorandum.

In the one-page memorandum, the party highlighted the dire situation the country’s people have been facing due to loadshedding and demanded the government ensure an uninterrupted power supply.

Talking to UNB, BNP’s organising secretary Abdus Salam Azad said people are going through serious ordeals due to ‘terrible’ loadshedding all over the country. “That's why we've submitted the memorandum to the chairman of the Bangladesh Power Development Board. We demanded immediate steps to ensure uninterrupted power supply.”

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The party also observed a similar programme in all districts to mount pressure on the government to end power outages.

Earlier on Tuesday, BNP announced to hold an hour-long sit-in programme in front of all the district offices of the Power Division across the country and submit the memorandum today (Thursday) to protest the ongoing loadshedding and 'corruption' in the power sector.

END/UNB/ARJ/JA