The BNP led 18-party alliance called a dawn-to-dusk hartal in the district for Monday demanding the immediate release of its detained leaders, including the party’s Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.
President of the BNP’s district unit Anisuzzaman Khan Babu confirmed the news to the Dhaka Tribune.
He said: “The district BNP has extended its half-day hartal till the evening protesting today’s repression of the party men by the police.”
District BNP, earlier in the day, called a half-day hartal for Monday demanding the release of its detained party members.
The activists and leaders of the party gathered at Kacharibazaar in the afternoon in order to bring out a procession in support of the hartal.
At one stage, BNP members were locked in a clash with the police when they attempted to foil their procession, leaving three police constables injured.
Gaibandha Sadar police station Inspector (Investigation) Zalal Uddin said: “Police later held BNP supporter Ripon from the spot for attacking police and setting off crude bombs within the area.”
Following the detention, the BNP’s district unit extended its half-day hartal by six hours.