Arson, vandalism, bomb blasts mark Jamaat-enforced hartal
Stick-wielding Jamaat-Shibir men block Dhaka-Pabna highway at Kashipur point in Pabna, right, a policeman, injured by pro-hartal activists, cries in pain on the road in Bandarbazar area of Sylhet city yesterday.Photo: STAR
The countrywide daylong shutdown enforced by Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami yesterday witnessed the incidents of arson, vandalism and cocktail blasts in many districts. According to our correspondents, at least 50 vehicles were vandalised and two set afire during hartal. Law enforcers arrested around 100 pickets in Cox's Bazar, Pirojpur, Noakhali, Chandpur, Satkhira and Kishoreganj districts. Pabna: Pro-hartal activists blocked Dhaka-Pabna highway in Sadar upazila for seven hours from 6:00am and vandalised at least 20 vehicles. They also put up a barricade on Pabna-Kushtia highway in Ishwardi upazila in the morning and vandalised at least 10 vehicles on the road. Besides, pickets ransacked 10 shops in different areas of the district during hartal. Natore: Shibir activists blocked Natore-Bogra highway at Dighapatia by setting fire to tyres. They vandalised a truck near Bagatipara Upazila Parisad office and two others near Danidah Bazar in Baraigram upazila in the morning. Gazipur: Pickets set fire to a bus on Dhaka-Gazipur highway at Chandna intersection at around 9:00am. Jamaat activists also vandalised several vehicles on the spot. Police picked up 10 pickets from different areas of the districts in the morning. Dinajpur: Four policemen, including the officer-in-charge of Nawabganj police Station, were injured as pickets hurled cocktails at a police team in the upazila headquarters during hartal hours. The injured are Officer-in-Charge Md Mominul Islam, sub-inspectors Anisur Rahman and Monjil Mollah, and constable Humayun Kabir. They were admitted to the upazila health complex. Police said pro-hartal activists threw four cocktails on the police team from a procession near College intersection. Police fired rubber bullets to disperse the pickets and picked up four Jamaat-Shibir men from there. Satkhira: Four policemen sustained injuries as Jamaat-Shibir activists, equipped with sticks, swooped on a patrol police team near Bakal Cold Storage in the town at around 8:00am.They also set fire to a pick-up van, carrying the law enforcers. Police fired 10 tear-gas canisters and 20 rubber bullets to bring the situation under control. The injured are Sub-Inspector Abdul Hannan, and constables Aminul Islam, Badruddin and Shamim Hossain of Satkhira Police Station. They were admitted to Satkhira Sadar Hospital. Bogra: Chase and counter-chase between police and Jamaat-Shibir activists took place at Sabgram in the town after the pro-hartal activists blasted two cocktails in the area at around 7:00am. Police had to fire five rubber bullets to disperse the pickets and arrested five Jamaat-Shibir men from there. Pro-hartal activists blasted seven cocktails in front of the Government Azizul Haque College in Zamilnagar area at around 10:00am and vandalised two vehicles in front of the college. Moulvibazar: Police arrested two Chhatra Shibir activists while they were vandalising a truck and two CNG-run auto-rickshaws in Raznagar upazila at around 9:00am. Khulna: Jamaat-Shibir men took out processions during haral in the city. Private vehicles went off the city roads. Police fired 10 rubber bullets and eight tear-gas canisters to disperse the pickets. They also arrested four Jamaat-Shibir men in the town. Launch and train services were normal while all mills in Daulatpur and Khalishpur industrial areas remained open. Meanwhile, Awami League-led 14-party alliances brought out a procession in the city and held a rally in front of the city AL office soon after pronouncing the verdict in Quader Mollah case by ICT-2. Chaired by Mizanur Rahman Mizan, general secretary of AL city unit, the rally was addressed, among others, by the leaders of Awami League, Workers Party and Jatiya Party. The speakers said the verdict did not reflect the people's expectation. Barisal: Stray incidents marked Jamaat-enforced shutdown in the city. Pro-hartal activists took out processions, blocked roads by burning tyres and felling logs. They vandalised six vehicles at Alekanda, Rupatali, Kashipur and Nathullabad areas of the city. Activities at courts, government offices and banks were normal but attendance was thin. Law enforcers patrolled the city roads. Private vehicles were off the roads and no inter-district buses left or entered the city during hartal hours.
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