Bangladesh opposition calls another 72-hour strike

Demanding fresh elections under a non-party caretaker government system, Bangladesh's main opposition alliance Friday called another round of nationwide strike from Sunday morning.

The strike will start at 6 a.m. Sunday and will continue till 6 a.m. Wednesday, Xinhua news agency reported citing a statement issued by Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) spokesperson Salahuddin Ahmed in a statement.

The strike announcement came just a day after it observed a five-day countrywide strike from Feb 22 morning amid violent clashes, vandalism, arson and crude bomb attacks.

BNP and its allies has declared the 72-hour road, rail and waterway strike from Sunday morning amid its ongoing blockade campaign that entered the 46th day Friday.

Bangladesh has been gripped by political violence since January this year and the opposition BNP and its allies -- who boycotted the general elections held Jan 5 last year -- have enforced a non-stop nationwide blockade since Jan 5 this year, demanding fresh parliamentary polls under a non-party caretaker government system.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said the non-stop agitation and blockade has resulted in a loss of over taka 1.2 trillion (nearly $15.5 billion) to the nation.

According to her, the protest movement by the opposition was, being waged for the personal gains of BNP chairperson and former prime minister Khaleda Zia.