Hasina's party fears Zia will change Bangladesh's name

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's party has said that opposition leader Khaleda Zia may change the country's name in case she returns to power.

The apprehension was expressed by the ruling Awami League (AL) party's publicity secretary Hassan Mahmud while participating in a human-chain and protest programme Monday at the capital city's Bangabandhu Avenue Monday, bdnews24.com reported.

He said Zia, the opposition leader and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chairperson, would not only change the name of Gopalganj district but of the country as well if she were to return to power.

Other speakers at the protest criticised Zia for earlier saying that she would change the name of Gopalganj, the district from where prime minister Hasina hails.

Meanwhile, AL leaders and activists dominated the streets Monday in a bid to thwart the opposition's continuing effort to hold its march-to-Dhaka programme again.

The ruling party's supporters formed human-chains and staged sit-ins in various parts of the city including Bangabandhu Avenue, Bangabandhu National Stadium, Adabor and Shyamali. The demonstration was intended to "resist the anarchy" unleashed by the BNP and its key ally Jamaat-e-Islami.

At least 22 organisations participated under the banner "United Awami League Supporter Alliance".