Dhaka: BNP on Saturday rescheduled its Tuesday’s countrywide black-flag procession for October 21 due to Durga Puja, the biggest religious festival of the Hindu community.

Besides, the party’s women wing Jatiyatabadi Mohila Dal’s human chain has been shifted to October 20 from October 17 and Sramik Dal’s similar programme to October 22 from October 18 for the same reason, reports the UNB.

BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi came up with the announcement at a press conference at the party’s Nayapaltan central office.

On October 10, the party announced a two-day countrywide programme, including the black-flag processions, protesting the verdict in the August 21 grenade attack cases that convicted a number of party leaders, including Tarique Rahman.

Mohila Dal and Sramik Dal also announced their programmes the same day on the same ground.

A speedy trial tribunal sentenced 19 people, including State Minister for Home Lutfozzaman Babar and former Deputy Minister for Education Abdus Salam Pintu, to death while 19 others, including BNP acting Chairman Tarique Rahman, to life imprisonment in two cases filed over the August 21 grenade attack on an Awami League rally in the capital in 2004.

Rizvi alleged that the government has continued filing ‘fictitious’ cases against their party leaders and activists and arresting them across the country.

He claimed their party’s several hundred leaders and activists were arrested in different districts, including Dhaka, Bogura, Mymensingh, Dinajpur, Patuakhali, Natore, Barishal and Feni, in ‘false’ cases on Friday.

He urged the government to refrain from arresting BNP leaders and activists in ‘fictitious’ cases and demanded immediate release of those arrested.