The second consecutive day of the countrywide indefinite blockade enforced by the BNP-led 20-party alliance was met with poor response yesterday in Chittagong.
Despite the call for non-stop blockade by BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, no senior leaders of the party or its associate wings were seen to enforce the blockade.
Sources said fearing arrest in the cases filed with various police stations in connection with the violence on January 5, no senior BNP leaders were seen at the party office at Nasiman Bhaban in city’s Kazir Dewri area till noon.
Additional police were deployed at the key points of the city though no untoward situation was reported.
Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP)’s Additional Commissioner (Crime and Operation) Banaj Kumar Majumdar said police were deployed at the entry points of the city to fend off any sudden unrest.
Along with police, six platoons of BGB men were kept standby to avert any kind of violence, said the Additional Commissioner.
Buses and goods laden trucks were seen plying on the Dhaka-Chittagong Highway with police escort while the train schedules remained unchanged and left for the destinations in time, said sources.
Sergeant Mehedi Hasan of Jorarganj Highway Police Outpost said they were providing security to the goods laden trucks and inter-district buses on the highway during the blockade programme.
Government and other private offices remained open though educational institutions were closed considering students’ safety.
The city life remained unhindered as public transports were seen on the streets along with a number of private cars.