BNP hartal to be strictly resisted: Hanif

The ruling Awami League will strictly face off Sunday's hartal in the capital called by BNP, rejecting the two city corporation elections in Dhaka.

Awami League joint general secretary Mahbub-ul Alam Hanif made the remarks in response to the BNP strike in Dhanmondi in the capital on Saturday evening.

Hanif said the BNP has called for a strike after being confirmed their defeat. Their strike will be strongly defended.

Rejecting the elections to two city corporations in Dhaka, BNP has called a dawn-to-dusk hartal in Dhaka city for Sunday.

The announcement was made at a press conference by party general secretary Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir at the BNP's central office in Nayapalton on Saturday evening.

Mirza Fakhrul said, "We hope that the people of Dhaka will cooperate to protect their rights and to establish democracy."

Meanwhile, Awami League mayoral candidates took lead in both Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) and Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) in the counting of votes in the elections to the two city cities on Saturday.