Less violence was seen in Dhaka city and elsewhere in the country on the 12th day of BNP-led 20-party alliance’s blockade yesterday.
In the capital, a bus was set on fire in a petrol bomb attack at Rayerbazar around 8am. Four to five passengers received burn injuries in the attack.
Among the injured was Sultana Islam, a student of Jagannath University. She was now admitted to a private hospital in the old part of the capital.
Around 7:30am, pickets torched a bus at Mirpur-13, confirmed fire service headquarters officials. No one was wounded in the incident.
Pickets set a bus on fire with a petrol bomb at the technical intersection of Darussalam around 5:30pm. Passengers were able to get out of the bus before they were burned.
Around 6:30pm, another bus was also torched by three youths at the same place. The public then chased and were able to catch one of them. Injured Ankur, 25, was now admitted to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital.
Mirpur police station Officer-in-Charge Salauddin Ahmed said picket Ankur confessed that they had been hired for the arson attack.
Around 7:30pm, a bus called Bikalpa Paribahan was also set on petrol fire at Dhanmandi.
Our Bogra correspondent reports: BNP-led alliance activists clashed with police at Matidali on the outskirts of Bogra town yesterday morning.
Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP)Gaziur Rahman said they had detained at least 14 leaders and activists of the alliance were detained in this regard.
The alliance activists held a meeting at Matidali around 10am. While leaving, a crude bomb was exploded, triggering a clash with the police, he said.
The ASP said they had to fire 50 rubber bullets and five teargas shells to bring the situation under control. However, none was hurt in the clash, he added.
Our Gaibandha correspondent reports: blockade supporters torched a truck on Rangpur-Dhaka highway at Jhopgari in Bogra Sadar upazila around 12:30pm.
Our Netrokona Correspondent reports: blockade pickets hurled a petrol bomb at a truck, burning its driver and its helper, at Barhatta about 1am. A BNP activist was detained over this.
Our Khulna Correspondent reports: miscreants blasted a number of cocktails at Jamuna Oil Depot at Khalishpur around 4pm.
In another incident, pickets torched a parked tempo in front of Jhalokathi Sadar Upazila Parisad office around 1am. Six BNP activists were held over this.
Our Chittagong correspondent adds: a rickshaw puller was burnt in a petrol bomb attack by miscreants in Chittagong Colonel Hat area around 11:30pm on Friday night.
The injured driver was identified as Fazlur Rahman, 52, son of Md Allauddin, a resident Kacha Bazar area of Bishwa Colony of City Gate in the city.
He was admitted to the burn and plastic surgery unit of Chittagong Medical College Hospital. He was not seriously injured, doctors said.
However, city life remained normal on the 12th consecutive day of the blockade, while no untoward situation took place in the city and elsewhere in the district.
Police in separate drives arrested eight Jamaat-BNP leaders and activists from various upazilas for their alleged involvement in subversive acts during the ongoing blockade.
Meanwhile, city life remained as usual where public transports including bus and CNG-run auth rickshaw were seen to ply with a few private cars in the city.
Long route bus service remained suspended from Chittagong to other districts while goods-laden trucks were plying on Dhaka-Chittagong Highway under police escort.