Dhaka, Feb 10 (IANS): The Bangladesh Nationalist Party-led 20-Party alliance has stretched its ongoing general strike by two more days, media reported Tuesday.

The statement issued by BNP’s joint secretary general Salahuddin Ahmed said the shutdown will be effective from 6 a.m Wednesday to the same time Friday, bdnews24.com reported.

Along with the strike, transport bloackades will also occur side-by-side.

The BNP says most of its leaders are now absconding fearing arrest.

A similar statement earlier issued from an undisclosed location had announced the shutdown from Sunday to Tuesday.

The BNP-led alliance has continued its ongoing nationwide transport blockade since Jan 5 and leader and former prime minister Khaleda Zia has continued to operate from her Gulshan office even after police barricades were removed from there.

She has frequently called general strikes alongside the unrelenting blockade in an effort to force the government to declare snap general elections under a non-party caretaker government.