Stray incidents of violence marred the nationwide hartal
called by the BNP-led 18-party alliance on Wednesday.
Pro-hartal activists brought out processions in the capital and other parts of the country. The police arrested dozens of Opposition activists from the city and elsewhere on charges of vandalism and spreading violence. The Opposition alliance called the daylong general strike in protest against the arrest warrant against the
BNP’s senior vice-chairman, Tarique Rahman. It also demanded restoration of the caretaker government provision to the country’s charter.
This is the second hartal in a week. The Opposition alliance has called another countrywide 12-hour shutdown on Sunday, demanding withdrawal of the ban on meetings and rallies and restoration of the caretaker government system.
Several bombs exploded near the Anti-Corruption Commission office at about 9 am. No one was injured. The DMP deputy commissioner, Masudur Rahman, told reporters that they have not yet identified the culprits behind the explosions. However, some people were picked up from the spot for interrogation, he added.
Shibir activists brought out a procession in support of the hartal at Benasri Palli in Mirpur-10 at 5:45 am. They burnt tyres on the road. Later, the police charged batons and dispersed them from the spot.
Another group of Shibir activists brought out a procession in front of Sony Cinema in Mirpur-2. They were also dispersed by the police. At 6:15 am, Chhatra Dal activists brought out a procession in front of the BG Press in the Tejgaon industrial area. They fled before the police arrived at the scene.
At 6:30 am, some Chhatra Dal activists brought out a procession at Kuril Biswa Road.
Opposition activists brought out several processions at Azimpur, Mirpur, Mirhazirbagh, Segun Bagicha, Shampur, Jatrabari, Jurain, Shahjahanpur and Banoshree areas of the city.
At about 5:30 am, a group of Jamaat supporters, led by Abdul Mannan, brought out a procession at Ghantigarh. Later, the police broke up the procession and arrested four Shibir activists. They are Imranul (20), Lokman (20), Rezaul (21) and Anwar (27).
BNP cadres brought out a procession in the Mirhazirbagh area. On receiving news, the police rushed to the spot and charged batons to disperse the procession. Two BNP activists, Shahin (21) and Pervej (20), were picked up from the spot. The police seized five chocolate bombs from their possession.
Most educational institutions and shopping malls were closed in the city.
-With The Independent input
