Stray incidents of violence marked the countrywide blockade, enforced by the BNP-led 18-Party Alliance, on Sunday. The blockade, which resumed at 6am on Sunday,
after a two-day break, will continue till 6am on Monday as the 18-Party Alliance has postponed its protest programme after this period until further announcement.
In a statement on Saturday night, BNP acting secretary Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir made the announcement of postponing the blockade. At least nine crude bombs exploded
in Dhaka. Three people were injured in crude bomb attacks and one was detained, while 10 vehicles were vandalised in the capital. At least four people were detained
from Gaibandha and Magura, and two vehicles were damaged by fire in Rajshahi and Kushtia during the blockade.
Meanwhile, the joint forces, comprising members of police, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), in separate drives across the country,
arrested at least 70 people, including BNP and Jamaat-Shibir supporters, over the last 24 hours.
In the capital, Jamaat-Shibir activists brought out processions in Moghbazar Wireless Gate and Madhya Badda areas. They also exploded crude bombs in those areas.
Blockaders brought out a procession at Moghbazar Wireless Gate area around 8am, but they were soon dispersed on the police. In Madhya Badda, a group of 10-15 Shibir
activists brought out a brisk procession around 10am. Then blasted five crude bombs, creating panic in the area. Law enforcers detained a Shibir activist from the
spot.
Some miscreants exploded two crude bombs in front of the main gate of Jagannath University around 12 noon, leaving a traffic policeman injured. The police fired eight
rounds of blank shots to bring the situation under control. Later, students took to the street to protest against the incident. Jubo Dal activists of Ashulia
vandalised at least 10 vehicles by throwing brickbats at them on the Nabinagar-Kaliakoir highway around 7am. No one was arrested in this connection.
Some miscreants exploded two crude bombs in front of the new building of the Dhaka district judge court around 2:10pm, leaving a policeman and two lawyers injured.
Traffic was normal on the city streets, but long-route buses did not leave the bus terminals in the city. Law enforcers were deployed at different strategic points and
they were put on high alert to fend off any untoward incident.
Sporadic incidents of violence marked the blockade programme in Rajshahi. Chhatra Shibir activists staged set fire to the streets in Dingadoba area at the Rajshahi
city by-pass road in the morning. They also hurled a crude bomb at a running bus, but it missed the target. No one was injured in the incident.
Shibir activists set fire to a pick-up van that was carrying medicine at Belpukur area under Puthia upazila in the early hours of Sunday. The District Mahila Dal
brought out a procession from the Fire Service intersection in support of the blockade. But the police dispersed them by throwing colourful water from water cannons.
No one was arrested.
Heavy vehicles were out of the streets and large business establishments were closed as well. In Noakhali, blockaders vandalised at least four vehicles, including a
truck, in Maijdee town and Begumganj upazila around 12 noon.
In Kushtia, blockaders set fire to a bus of the Islami University at the Customs Intersection area around 4am. Locals rushed to the spot and doused the flames.
Abdul Khaleque, officer-in-charge (OC) of Kushtia Model Police Station, confirmed the incident and said that no one was arrested in this connection.
The joint forces arrested 10 supporters of the 18-Party Alliance in Noakhali and 15 from Laxmipur from Saturday night to Sunday morning.
In Gaibandha, Jamaat-Shibir activists brought out a procession at the station road area around 12 noon, in protest of the killing of one of their activists on January
7. When the procession reached the Shaheed Minar area, the police charged batons to disperse the procession. Moniruzzaman (22), a Shibir activist, was picked up from
the spot.
In Magura, the police arrested three BNP supporters– Mohsin (30), Jewel (28), and Kohinur (33)–from Kantakhali area under sadar upazila around 1pm.
In Jhenidah, the joint forces arrested six BNP and Jamaat-Shibir supporters from Boidanga Bazar under sadar upazila on Saturday night. The arrestees were Abu Taleb,
Rabbul Hossain, Tutul Mia, Abdur Rahman, Shoriful Islam and Sabdul Islam.
Courtesy of The Independent
