Yesterday, the fourteenth day of the indefinite blockade imposed by the BNP, saw some minor violence and acts of vandalism in and outside the capital.
Dhaka city experienced increased violence as the night rolled on.
A bus driver of United Paribahan was injured when a pro-blockade activist hurled a crude bomb at Shahbagh intersection around 8:30pm. Driver Rashedul sustained splinter injury to his hands and legs.
As the miscreant tried to flee the scene, police opened fire and shot him in the leg. Police arrested the culprit who identified himself as Noor Mohammad, 35. Police said the crude bomber claimed to work for cash and was not affiliated with any party.
Sub-Inspector of Shahbagh police station Abdul Azim said both the injured men were taken to hospital and Noor Mohammad would be interrogated after treatment.
Just 10 minutes before this incident, several crude bombs were blasted in front of the Shahbagh police station. No one was injured.
Around the same time in West Islambagh, miscreants threw a crude bomb, injuring Abdus Samad, 40, who was passing by, Officer-in-Charge of Chawkbazar police station Azizul Haque said.
In Mirpur Kalshi, a bus of Bihongo Paribahan was torched as miscreants hurled a petrol bomb around 8:45pm. Two units of fire service rushed to the spot and doused the fire, said Enayet Hossain, a fire service official.
Earlier in the day, a bus of Janata Bank was set alight in front of Modhumita Cinema Hall around 1:30pm but no one was injured.
Police patrolled key spots in Dhaka to avert violence. Besides, BGB was deployed in the evening to help police maintain law and order.
A total of 52,061 buses, trucks and covered vans ran unhindered on the highways under the protection of police, RAB and BGB, BGB said in a statement.
The statement also said 817 tank trucks reached their destinations under police protection.
Violence in the districts
In Narayanganj, blockaders set fire to a passenger bus and a truck at Masdair Gabtoli area at noon, leaving three passengers of the bus injured. They were admitted to a local hospital.
Officer-in-Charge of Fatullah police station Asaduzzaman said the bus of Ananda Paribahan was travelling to Dhaka from Chashara. “20-30 youths stopped the bus when it reached Gabtoli intersection, forced the passengers to get down, vandalised it and then set it on fire. They also torched a truck parked behind the bus. Two firefighting units put the fire out.”
In Habiganj, blockaders torched a passenger bus at Hafizpur in Bahubol upazila around 6:30pm. A number of passengers sustained minor injuries in the incident.
In Feni, blockaders vandalised at least 25 vehicles, including freight trucks and pick-up vans at Takia Road, Bara Masjid Road and Islampur Road.
Witnesses said some 15-20 men armed with sticks and iron pipes vandalised the vehicles parked in front of warehouses. But the miscreants spared some trucks parked in front of a warehouse owned by Feni District BNP unit General Secretary Zia Uddin Master.
In Bogra, two trucks were set ablaze in Charmatha and Matidali around 4pm but none was injured.
In Noakhali, miscreants torched an auto-rickshaw in the morning. They also tried to set fire to a truck but failed.
A pick-up van was torched in Sirajganj town while five auto-rickshaws were vandalised and some crude bombs were blasted in the morning.
In Chapainawabganj, a joint team of police and RAB detained 25 BNP and Jamaat activists from different upazilas on Sunday night and early yesterday. Of them, 21 were arrested for plotting subversive activities and they were also accused in cases filed in connection with violence.