Dhaka: BNP will distribute leaflets across the country on Thursday demanding release of its Chairperson Khaleda Zia from jail.

BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi announced the fresh programme for March 1 at a press conference at party’s central office in Naya Paltan.

‘We have taken a new programme for March 1 to distribute leaflet all over the country demanding our Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s release. Our leaders and activists will distribute the leaflets containing our party statement,’ he said, reports the UNB.

Party rank and file will take part in the programme from their respective positions, he added.

BNP’s last programme was countrywide demonstration on Monday demanding Khaleda’s release and protesting police action during its recent black-flag demonstration programme.

After jailing of Khaleda, the party observed different peaceful programmes including human-chain, sit-in, token hunger-strike, protest procession in four phases demanding the party chief’s release.

Responding a quarry of journalists about government plan to increase power and gas price again, Rizvi voiced deep concern and termed it as an anti-government move.

He also asked the government to back-off from such decision as people are still struggling to cope with the growing prices of essentials and utility services.

Referring the media report that BNP secretary generalMirza FakhrulIslam Alamgir asked Dr. Kamal Hossain to stand for Khaleda in the High Court while Dr. Kamal declined, Rizvi said ‘I don’t have any such information but no democracy loving people of the country would deny standing for Khaleda.’

On February 8, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia was sent to jail after a special court sentenced her to five years’ rigorous imprisonment in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case.