Online Desk: Terming the 12th parliamentary election ‘illegal’ and ‘dummy’, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has announced a nationwide black flag procession for Tuesday (January 30) demanding fresh parliamentary election and releasing of the party leaders and workers from prisons as soon as possible.

The black flag procession is set to take place simultaneously at metropolitan cities, districts, upazilas, thanas, unions, and municipalities across the country.

BNP Standing Committee member Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, who had been in hiding since the October 28 violence, announced the programme at a rally of the party at Nayapaltan in the capital on Saturday (January 27) afternoon.

Addressing the rally, Gayeshwar also called for the release of BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia and other leaders.

He also called for reducing the prices of essentials.

Gayeshwar said this government is not of the people. Rather, it is a government of India, China and Russia. “So, it is not obligatory for the people to accept this government.”

Though the programme was scheduled to begin at 2:00pm at Nayapaltan, the party leaders and workers started thronging the venue with small processions from earlier.

They carried black flags, banners and festoons. The leaders and workers of the party also chanted slogans demanding the release of Khaleda Zia.

However, the presence of the BNP leaders and workers started rising at Nayapaltan and adjoining areas after 2:00pm. The party leaders and workers brought processions from different parts of the capital.