Local transporter's association has said that the decision to suspend the movement of public transport on as many as 16 roads in Khulna from 6 pm on Friday has been taken to avoid any untoward incident during BNP's divisional assembly on Saturday.
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Anwar Hossain Sona, joint secretary of the Khulna District Bus-Minibus-Coach Owners' Association, said, "There is a possibility of chaos at the BNP assembly. So, no public transport will either leave or enter the city for 24 hours from 6 pm on Friday."
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Mahanagar BNP president Nazrul Islam Monju has flayed the decision. "It's undemocratic. Stopping public transport can't prevent us from holding our assembly."
On February 27, BNP is slated to hold its divisional assembly in Khulna led by former mayoral candidates in six cities of the country, in demand for free and fair civic elections and Begum Khaleda Zia's release.
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BNP vice-chairman Barrister Shahjahan Omar Biruttam will address the assembly as the chief guest. BNP senior vice-chairman Shamsuzzaman Dudu, vice-chairman Nitai Roy Chowdhury and joint secretary-general Moazzem Hossain Alal will be special guests.