Stray incidents of violence mark 8-hour shutdown
The eight-hour countrywide shutdown enforced by BNP-led 18-party alliance to press for the release of BNP's acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir passed off amid stray incidents of violence in the districts yesterday, according to our correspondent.
At least 40 people were injured in clashes between police and pro-hartal activists and over 28 vehicles were vandalised and set afire during hartal. Police arrested 71 pickets from different districts.
In Narayanganj, pickets vandalised 20 vehicles on Dhaka-Chittagong highway at Nayabari in Kanchpur and on Dhaka-Narayanganj-Munshiganj Road at Kashipur under Fatulla Police Station in the morning. They also set fire to tyres to block traffice on the roads.
Police picked up eight pickets, including two Jamaat men, on charge of vandalism during hartal hours, said Sheikh Nazmul Alam, superintendent of police.
Besides, police dispersed pro-hartal activists from Ghat No 5 area in the city and Chowdhurybari area in Sadar upazila.
In Rajshahi, police picked up JCD leader Shah Mainul Hasan from Sopura area of the city at around 7:00am.while JCD men were trying to bring out a procession from there. Tajul Islam Shahin, a city BNP leader, was also picked up from a procession in ward No 8.
Police fired rubber bullets and tear gas shells to disperse the pickets who were trying to block Dhaka-Rajshahi highway at Binodpur in the city at around 7:30am.
Unidentified criminals set fire to a students' bus of Rajshahi University (RU) on the campus at around 4:10am. Over 100 leaders and activists of Islami Chhatra Shibir brought out a pro-hartal procession in the university area at 7:00am.
In Sylhet, At least 15 people were injured during a clash between police and Jamat-Shibir activists on Sylhet-Sunamganj highway in the city's Temukhi area at around 1:00pm.
Witnesses said pro-hartal activists blasted around 10 cocktails during the clash. Police resorted to baton charge and fired blank shots to disperse the pickets.
Meanwhile, Jamaat extended yesterday's hartal until 6:00pm in four districts of Sylhet division protesting the arrest of its acting Secretary General Shafiqur Rahman. The Jamaat leader was arrested from his Dhanmondi residence in the capital early yesterday,
In Sirajganj, five Shibir men were injured in a clash with Police at Rahmatganj in the town at noon. Police arrested nine people, including Abu Hena Mostafa Kamal Lenin, sports secretary of district BNP, during hartal hours.
In Brahmanbaria, police arrested 21 opposition activists from different areas of the district town on Wednesday. BNP activists brought out a procession in the town during hartal.
In Cox's Bazar, police picked up 24 BNP and Jamaat activists from different areas of the district on charge of vandalism during hartal.
Police were deployed in front of district Awami League office and BNP office to avoid any untoward incident.
In Satkhira, pickets vandalised three vehicles, including two passenger buses, in the town during hartal. Later, police arrested six BNP-Jamaat activists on charge of damaging the vehicles.
In Lalmonirhat, Pro-hartal activists torched a motorcycle of a policeman during a chase and counter-chase at Shaptibari in Aditmari upazila at around 10:00am.
Police had to fire two tear gas shells to disperse the pickets. They arrested a BNP man from the spot.
In Noakhali, pickets vandalised a bus of SA Paribahan in Maijdee area of Sadar upazila at around 5:00am.
In Pabna, at least 10 people were injured during a clash between BNP and Awami League in Ishwardi upazila.
Pro-hartal activists vandalised two motorbikes of AL men and the residence of Md Babu Mondol, secretary of Pakshey union AL unit, at Diar Baghail village in the morning.
Babu Mondol claimed that pro-hartal activists attacked AL men at Natunhat intersection, prompting the AL men to retaliate.
Bogra, At least 15 people, including two policemen, were injured during a clash between Jubo league and Jubo Dal men on Nawab Bari Road in the town during hartal.
The clash ensured after Jubo league and BCL activists vandalised BNP office in the area at noon. Police fired rubber bullets and tear shells to disperse the clashing groups.
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