The dawn-to-dusk hartal, called by the district unit of the BNP in Dhaka, passed off with stray incidents of violence on Wednesday. The Dhaka Metropolitan area was not under the purview of the general strike. At least 15 vehicles were vandalised and four torched. Fourteen BNP activists were arrested in Keraniganj, Dohar, Dhamrai, Savar and Nababganj — all five upazilas of the district.
The hartal was called in protest against the arrest of Amanullah Aman, the party’s joint secretary general, and other leaders and activists. Pro-hartal activists demanded immediate release of the detained leaders.
Picketers vandalised at least 14 vehicles and torched one in Keraniganj upazila. According to police and witnesses, hartal supporters vandalised seven CNG-run auto-rickshaws in the Dhalikandi area of Hazratput union at around 8 am, while seven more were vandalised and another torched in the Joynagar area of Shakta union.
Buses and CNG-run auto-rickshaws plied during the hartal hours. Some launches could not come towards Dhaka city through the Mawa Launch Terminal in the morning. However, they started to enter the city after 11 am. On the other hand, the Sadarghat Launch Terminal functioned normally in the morning.
Picketers torched three buses in Savar, Ashulia and Dhamrai areas during the early hours of the hartal. They also vandalised a couple of vehicles. The police said pro-hartal activists fled the scene before they rushed to the spot.
Asadujjaman, officer-in-charge of Savar model police station, said they held 14 suspects with two private cars and nine litres of petrol from Jorpool, Tetuljhora and Boliapur areas of Savar.
Members of the police, Rapid Action Battalion and Border Guard Bangladesh patrolled the streets to maintain law and order. Law enforcers were deployed at various important points of the district to prevent any untoward situation.
-With The Independent input
