The opposition-called 6-day hartal programme begins with a dawn-to-dusk countrywide shutdown today.

Flood-affected Rajshahi division has been exempted from the purview of the hartal.

Awarni League. Jatiya Party and the Jamaat-e-Islami on October 21 separately announced a week-long hartal programme from November 11 to press for holding the next general elections under a neutral caretaker government.

The major opposition parties later dropped November 17 from the hartal programme and on Thursday revised the timing "in consideration of the sufferings of the people."

As per the revised timing.

a countrywide dawn-to-dusk hartal will be observed today, the first day of the 6-day programme. For the rest five days, hartal will be observed from 6 am to 3 pm tomorrow, from 6 am to 2 pm on November 13 and for half-day on November 14, 15 and 16 in the Dhaka city. In other parts of the country, half-day hartal would be observed on November 12, 13. 14. 15 and 16.

Ambulances, medicine and food shops, vehicles of fire brigade, newspaper offices, city corporations and municipalities and of electricity. gas and water supply have been exempted from the hartal programme.

Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina in a statement

last night called upon the people to observe the six-day hartal to compel the government to accept the 'people's demands."

In her statement. Hasina said that her party wanted a solution to the persisting political crisis through dialogue But she alleged, the Prime Minister has blocked the way 1 for solution through talks

Hasina also accused the PM of pushing the country 1 towards anarchy" through ; provocative statements

"Now. we have no option I to agitation to force the gov j eminent accept the people s demand. Hasina said