The fifth spell of a 48-hour countrywide blockade was declared by the BNP and its allies, demanding the government’s resignation before the next general election started at 6am.
It comes as three buses were set ablaze Tuesday night in Dhaka’s Mirpur area.
Unlike the previous phases of blockades, bus and minibus services will operate normally throughout the country this time around, Khandaker Enayet Ullah, secretary general of the Bangladesh Road Transport Owners' Association, said on Tuesday.
He emphasized that road transport owners and workers are rejecting the blockade. In consideration of the people's hardship, the owners and workers will defy the blockade and continue regular operations.
On Monday, the BNP announced the blockade through a virtual press conference. The first 48-hour blockade started on October 31.
After a rally on October 28 that was foiled by clashes with law enforcement, the BNP called a hartal the next day and subsequently announced a three-day countrywide blockade to protest attacks on its gathering and the arrest of its senior leaders.
154 arsons since October 28
Earlier in the day, the Fire Service said 154 arson attacks took place across the country from October 28 to November 13 amid hartals and nationwide blockades imposed by BNP-Jamaat and their like-minded political parties.
Of the total attacks, 116 occurred in Dhaka division, including 82 in the capital city.
Fire Service statistics showed that five people were injured and two firefighters were assaulted while discharging duties.