Dhaka, Apr 18 (UNB) – The main opposition BNP has called a countrywide dawn-to-dusk hartal for Sunday to protest disappearance of the party’s organising secretary and former MP M Elias Ali.

BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir announced the day-long shutdown programme at the party chairperson’s Gulshan office on Wednesday night.

He said they will also hold protest rallies and bring out processions in all cities, including the capital, district and upazila headquarters on Thursday.

Earlier, BNP standing committee, the party’s highest policy-making body, at a meeting took the decision to protest the disappearance of Elias Ali and the government’s failure to trace him, Fakhrul told reporters.

The meeting was held with BNP chief Khaleda Zia in the chair at her Gulshan office.

Fakhrul asked the government to immediately return Elias to them. Otherwise, he cautioned, the government will have to bear all responsibilities.

Fakhrul said they came to know from different informed sources that such incidents are being done by a special organisation to annihilate the opposition leaders.

The BNP acting secretary general also urged the leaders and activists of BNP-led 18-party alliance to observe the programmes spontaneously.