Bangladesh: Opposition rally in Dhaka on March 29 /update 13

Event

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), the country's main opposition party, is planning to hold a rally in Dhaka on Thursday, March 29, to demand that former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia be released from prison. According to local sources, the rally is expected to take place in the Suhrawardy Udyan area of the city. A heightened security presence and localized traffic disruptions are expected in the vicinity of any protests.

Context

Khaleda Zia, the former Bangladeshi prime minister and current chairperson of the BNP, was convicted of corruption at a special court in Dhaka on February 8 and sentenced to five years in jail. Multiple BNP-led demonstrations have erupted across the country in recent weeks demanding Zia's release as well as free and fair elections.

Zia has often said political vendettas under the current government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina have motivated the case against her, as well as cases against her sons. She could be barred from participating in the general elections slated for December 2018 if her ongoing appeal is unsuccessful or if she remains held on additional charges.

Advice

Individuals present in Bangladesh, particularly in Dhaka, are advised to monitor the situation, exercise caution, and avoid all demonstrations and political gatherings due to the possibility of violence.