The High Court has ordered the government to take effective steps in ending the violence that has taken over the nation, in the name of blockade and hartal.
An HC bench of Justice Kazi Reza-Ul Haque and Justice Abu Taher Md Saifur Rahman passed the order on Sunday afternoon.
The order came after partial hearing of a writ petition filed by businessperson Shahinur Islam, from Keraniganj in Dhaka.
The secretaries of the Foreign Affairs and Home ministries, Inspector General of Police, and Director General of Border Guard Bangladesh made respondents to the writ.
The court also asked the respondents to explain why the hartal and blockade should not be announced illegal and unconstitutional.
Today is the 41st day of the BNP-led alliance's continual blockade and first day of the third phase of the hartal enforced by the alliance.
More than 70 people were killed and scores injured in different parts of the country in the violence during the BNP-led alliance’s non-stop blockade.
Of these, a large number of arson attacks are being conducted on highways. Hundreds of vehicles, including those belonging to law-enforcers, were attacked and burnt.
The BNP-led 20-party alliance has been enforcing a non-stop nationwide blockade since January 5 in protest against the confinement of the party chief Khaleda Zia.
Khaleda Zia had been kept confined to her Gulshan party office since January 3 ahead of a party rally, marking “Democracy Killing Day.”
On January 12, the security was relaxed.
But Khaleda did not come out; instead she said in a press conference that she would stay there and the blockade would continue, unless the government took steps towards a solution.