The second day of the two-day countrywide hartal, called by the BNP-led 18-party Opposition alliance, passed off with stray incidents of violence on Thursday.
In the capital, several crude bombs exploded at Gabtali, Mirpur Mazar Road, Pallabi, Tejgaon industrial area, Paltan and Bijoy Sarani during the early hours. At least three crude bombs exploded in front of the BNP’s Nayapaltan central office in the afternoon. Witnesses said a group of picketers had blasted the bombs around 3:10 pm. Additional police forces were deployed in the area to beef up security.
A group of Shibir activists burnt some tyres and brought out a procession near the German Technical Centre at around 6:30 am. They, however, fled the spot after being chased by the police.
The police detained Roisul Islam, a shibir activist, from in front of Kabi Nazrul College in the old town and recovered two crude bombs from his possession. BNP lawmakers brought out a procession at Manik Mia Avenue, demanding immediate release of the party’s detained leaders and restoration of the caretaker government system to the country’s charter.
The Awami League and its associate bodies also brought out processions, protesting against the hartal, in different parts of the city.
Additional law enforcers were deployed on the International Crime Tribunal (ICT) premises, ahead of the verdict in the war crimes cases against Jamaat-e-Islami leader Kamaruzzaman.
The BNP-led 18-party alliance’s hartal was observed from 6 am to 6 pm on Wednesday and Thursday, respectively.
The Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh called another countrywide hatal for Sunday, in protest against the crackdown on its leaders and activists at Shapla Chattar.
Educational institutions were closed. Attendence in government and non-government offices was thin. Motorised vehicles mainly stayed off the road, but rickshaws were out in full force. However, train services remained normal.
The government deployed a large contingent of law enforcers at different strategic points to maintain law and order.
Stray incidents of violence marked the second day of the hartal in different districts.
In Rajshahi, the hartal passed off peacefully. Picketers failed to bring out any procession in the city due to the presence of a large number of police and security personnel. In morning, BNP joint secretary general Mizanur Rahman led a procession from the city’s Rani Bazaar area. The police soon intercepted the rally near the Bata crossing. The strikers sat there and staged a brief demonstration.
Some Shibir activists tried to block Shahmukhdum Airport Road. They fled the scene after the police rushed to the spot.
In Bogra, picketers tried to march at Colony Bazar in the town, but the law enforcers foiled their attempt. From early morning, members of law enforcement agencies, including Border Guard of Bangladesh (BGB) and Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), were put on alert in the port city, leaving no scope for activists of the BNP and the Jamaat men to carry out destructive activities.
The hartal did not hamper daily operations. Bank transactions were normal during the hartal hours.
Joynal Abedin Chan, secretary of the Bogra district BNP, led a procession from Altafunnesa Khelar Math area around 10 am, but police soon intercepted it near Circuit house area.
Some Shibir activists tried to block Charmatha and Tinmatha area bypasses. Later, they abandoned the spot.
In Pabna, haral supporters vandalised two battery-run auto-rickshaws at the Indara Mor and Neemtola area. Leaders and activists of the district BNP unit and its front organisations brought out a protest rally and marched different streets of the town.
In Chapainawabganj, a group of Jamaat-Shibir activists brought out a procession from Shibtola and sub-Rajrampur intersection around 7:30am. No picketer was seen on the road. No vehicles on inter-district and internal routes left the district town. No goods-laden truck left the Sona mosque land port. However, loading and unloading activities went usual at the port.
In Barisal, the hartal was marked marked stray incidents. n Pro-hartal supporters damaged two rickshaws and two three-wheelers in different areas of the city. The police detained Afroza Khanam Nasrin, joint secretary of the city unit JCD, in the morning.
The police also foiled several attempts of picketing by Jamaat-Shibir activists early in the morning at C&B Road areas of the city.
Long-distance buses didn’t ply on the road from Nathullabad and Rupatali inter-district bus terminals during the hartal hours.
-With The Independent input
