Stray incidents of violence marked the second day of the 72-hour-long nationwide blockade programme, called by the BNP-led 18-Party alliance, on Wednesday. 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 blockade will continue till 6am on Friday. Al Amin, 28, a bus driver, who suffered burn injuries in an arson attack on his vehicle in Gazipur city on December 3, died at the Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) around 10:30am on Wednesday.
Asma Khatun, a female Jamaat activist, who suffered bullet injuries in a clash between Jamaat-Shibir supporters and the police in Sadar upazila on Sunday, died at the Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital, Bogra, around 12:15am on Wednesday, raising the death toll from the incident to five.
In the capital, blockaders blasted four crude bombs at Gabtoli area around 7am, while another group of blockaders exploded three crude bombs at Mirpur around 7:35am. Some miscreants set fire to the railway tracks in Tejgaon area around 7:20am. The flames were later doused by the police, with the help of local residents.
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 Bagherhat, miscreants hurled a petrol bomb at the residence of Sheikh Abdur Rahman, general secretary of the Mangla Municipality unit of AL, around 8:30am, at Kabarstan Road in the town on Tuesday night. M Aminul Islam, officer-in-charge of Mangla Police Station, confirmed the news. No one was injured in the blast. Abdur Rahman blamed Jamaat-Shibir activists for the attack.
In Chittagong, Shibir activists brought out a brisk procession in front of the bus terminal under Chandgaon police station around 1:15pm. They vandalised two vehicles and hurled crude bombs at the police. The law enforcers retaliated by firing several rounds of rubber bullets. Three people were picked up from the spot.
In Meherpur, blockaders exploded several crude bombs and put up barricades in different areas, including the approach road to the residence of district commissioner and Shilpakala Academy. They exploded several crude bombs at Kayemkata intersection, in front of the district commissioner’s residence, municipality building and the town’s bus stand in the morning. The blockaders also vandalised two battery-run auto rickshaws and one motorbike at the hospital road.
In Dinajpur, rail communications between the Dinajpur-Parbatipur route remained suspended for one hour as blockaders removed the railway track girders at Sheikhpura area.
In Feni, members of police, RAB and BGB detained 34 Jamaat-Shibir activists from different areas, including Sadar upazila, on Tuesday night.
In Lalmonirhat, the police arrested nine Jamaat-Shibir activists, including four women activists, from Kuchlibari and Jongra unions.
In Laxmipur, unidentified miscreants set fire to the house of Raypur upazila Jubo League leader Saleh Ahmed Liton at 2:30 am on Tuesday. Later, local residents doused the flames.
Our Narsingdi correspondent reports that blockade supporters hurled six crude bombs at the UNO office at Madhabdi Sadar and the residence of Awami League lawmaker Dr Anowarul Ashraf Khan Dilip at Polash in the morning. Some 18-Party supporters prevented CNG-run auto rickshaws and human haulers from plying on the road at Morzal area on the Dhaka-Sylhet highway. They hurled three crude bombs at Madhabdi Polli Bidyut Samity on the Dhaka-Sylhet highway.
Our Noakhali correspondent reports that a Jubo League leader was killed by unidentified miscreants supporters when he was returning home from Raypur upazila in Laxmipur on Tuesday night. The deceased was identified as Krian Pathan, 31.
Members of the Borer Guard Bangladesh (BGB), Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and police arrested five Jammat-Shibir activists in Noakhali district. Additional police super (ASP) Saiful Haque told the Independent that a team of the joint forces at Fajilpur area under Sadar upazila conducted the drive to arrest the activists. Later, they were sent to jail for their alleged involvement in creating anarchy during the blockade.
Some unidentified miscreants hurled petrol bombs at the residence of the secretary general of the Tarikat Federation Central Committee at Narayanpur village in Ishapur union under Ramganj upazila of Laximpur district around 1am on Tuesday, thus damaging some furniture and other household items.
-With The Independent input
