"As the government has only four months to complete its term, Awami League and its allies do not need to call provocative and confrontational programmes that often cause deaths," Mannan Bhuiyan said in a statement.

Instead of sitting together to resolve all problems through discussions, they call hartal to put public life in disarray and tarnish the country's image, the BNP leader said.

The 14-party opposition combine has called the hartal to protest the killing of Swechhasebak League leader Golam Rasul Milan and repression on opposition leaders and activists during yesterday's countrywide blockade programme.