Dhaka: BNP on Sunday distributed leaflets across the country demanding its chairperson’s release from jail and urging people to resist the government’s efforts to ‘revive one-party rule’.

Party standing committee members and its senior leaders distributed the leaflets among pedestrians at different parts of the capital.

BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir inaugurated the programme by distributing leaflets among people near BNP’s Nayapaltan central office around 12:45pm.

Later talking to reporters, he said they have taken a vow to free their chairperson Khaleda Zia from jail through a peaceful movement. ‘As part of our movement, we’ve started distributing leaflets to mobilise public support.’

Fakhrul further said, ‘Through the leaflets, we call upon people to be vocal against the unlawful and conspiratorial jailing of our chairperson and thwart the government’s blueprint of suppressing its opponents and their voice, and its plot to restore one-party rule.’

He said their party leaders and activists will continue distributing the leaflets across the country for a few days.

The BNP leader said they are confident that they will be able to have their chairperson freed from jail through their movement.

As his attention was drawn to Prime Minister’s remark that she has the right to seek vote for Awami League as its president, Fakhrul said the constitution and the Election Commission’s RPO have restricted some such rights.

He said it cannot be acceptable that the Prime Minister and her party leaders will seek votes spending public money while others will not get any chance to conduct even election campaign.

Meanwhile, BNP standing committee member Khandaker Mosharraf was obstructed by police while distributing leaflets in Mohakhali rail gate area.

Police also arrested BNP chairperson’s adviser Prof Farhad Halim Donar and three other local leaders from the spot.

Mosharraf said police foiled their leaflets distribution programme at Mohakhali without any provocation. ‘It is unexpected the way police prevented us from distributing leaflets.’

BNP central office sources said party senior leaders distributed leaflets at all the thanas of the capital.

On March 1 last, the party also distributed leaflets across the country seeking Khaleda’s release from jail.

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