Covid restrictions maybe to stop BNP rallies: Rizvi

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party on Tuesday aired a doubt whether the government imposed fresh restrictions, including on public gatherings, to stop the party's rallies and meetings.

"People are questioning whether the restrictions have been imposed only to prevent BNP's rallies. Because people have awakened against the government," said BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.

Speaking at a press conference at BNP's Nayapaltan central office, he also said the government has become sacred as people have started joining their party's rallies breaking section 144.

"We would like to clearly say the fall of the current regime can't be resisted, no matter how many conspiracies are hatched. People can no longer be suppressed by resorting to conspiracies with cases, conviction and restrictions," Rizvi warned.

Amid the spike in Covid cases due to the transmission of the Omicron variant, the government on Monday imposed various restrictions, including public gatherings, social programmes, political and religious events. The restrictions will be effective on January 13.

Replying to a question, Rizvi said their party's planned rallies in the second phase will continue amid the government's restrictions.

"The programme that we've already announced will continue. Our party still didn't change its decision in this regard," he added.

On January 5, the party announced to hold rallies in its 40 more organisational districts from January 8 in the second phase to force the government to allow its chairperson Khaleda Zia to go abroad for advanced medical treatment.