Stray incidents of violence marked the third day of the 72-hour-long nationwide blockade programme, called by the BNP-led 18-Party alliance, on Thursday.
The opposition alliance called the blockade, demanding that the next election be held under a non-party poll-time administration and that the already announced date for the 10th parliamentary election be postponed. The fourth spell of blockade would continue till 6am on Friday. In the capital, two workers of tailoring shops suffered injuries when a crude bomb exploded at Bangsal in Old Dhaka on Thursday. The injured were identified as Sohag, 26, a worker of ‘’AZ Tailor’’ at Abul Hasnat Road, and Azim Biswas, 25, a worker of ‘’Rupali Tailor’’ in the same area.
Witnesses said Sohag and Azim sustained splinter injuries in their legs as a crude bomb went off when they were standing in front of their shops around 10am. They were rushed to the Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) for treatment.
Blockaders exploded three crude bombs in front of the Gabtali police camp around 7am. However, no one was injured in the explosions. Traffic was more or less normal on the city streets. However, no long-route bus left the inter-district bus terminals. Large contingents of law enforcers took position at various strategic points to prevent any untoward situation.
In Satkhira, at least six people, including a senior police official, received bullet injuries in a clash between activists of the Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing, Islami Chhatra Shibir, and law enforcers in Roispur area of sadar upazila on Thursday. Kazi Moniruzzaman, senior assistant superintendent of police (Sadar circle) was injured in the clash. He said a group of 20-25 Jamaat-Shibir activists, led by Shibir cadre Lablu, started felling tress in the area around 9am to put up barricades in support of the blockade programme.
On receiving information, a joint force of Border Guard Bangladesh, Rapid Action Battalion and police rushed to the spot. The Jamaat-Shibir activists started hurling brickbats and crude bombs at the law enforcers. The law enforcers retaliated by firing several rounds of bullets. Five Jamaat-Shibir activists, including Lablu, sustained bullet injuries. Though the law and order situation has been brought under control, tension sparks are still flying high in the area.
In Natore, a group of blockaders burned tyres to block the Natore-Dhaka-Bogra highway in the morning. Jamaat-Shibir activists also brought out a procession at the Kanaikhali area of the town in the morning.
In Pabna, RAB members recovered 10 petrol bombs and 15 crude bombs from Mirza Market area in Chatmohor upazila on Wednesday night. Maj. ABM Farukuzzaman, company commander of the RAB-12 Pabna camp, confirmed the news.
In Lalmonirhat, blockaders set two motorbikes on fire near Burimari Achhar Uddin High School in Patgram upazila around 1:30pm.
In Sirajganj, blockaders set fire to two trucks and vandalised five others, while in Rajshahi, Chandpur and Magura, blockaders brought out processions.
In Narayanganj, blockade supporters lit fire on the Arihazar-Narsingdhi highway.
Our Noakhali correspondent reports that joint forces comprising BGB, RAB and police arrested 24 Jamaat-Shibir activists. Of them, 15 were arrested from Feni and nine from Noakhali. Additional superintendent of police (ASP) Samsul Alam said confirmed the news.
Habibur Rahman, a Jamaat supporter in Feni, alleged that the joint forces had ransacked several houses during their drive around 9am on Thursday.
-With The Independent input
