The countrywide dawn-to-dusk hartal, called by the BNP-led 18-party alliance, ended amid explosions of crude bombs, arson, vandalism, and sporadic chases and counter chases between law enforcers and shutdown supporters at different places across the country.
Hartal supporters brought out processions, vandalised vehicles, and exploded hand-made bombs in the major cities during the first half of the day creating panic among the people.
Police lobbed tear-shells and fired rubber bullets to disperse the pickets also hartal supporters at different places.
Once again it was the common people who suffered much for the hartal, specially the office-goers. They had to travel by rickshaws while a few number of public vehicles were available to their workplaces. The private vehicles hardly hit the streets at the first half of the day while a few were seen on the streets after noon.
The opposition alliance announced Wednesday’s shutdown demanding withdrawal of the ‘false’ cases filed against BNP Senior ViceChairman Tarique Rahman.
Although buses did not left the key terminals from the major cities for long distance destination, trains left the stations as per schedules.
Meanwhile, Jamaat-Shibir activists brought out processions in Shyampur, Azimpur and Mirpur area early morning in support of the shutdown. The protesters vandalised several vehicles and set fire on the street to create momentum in favour of hartal.
Members of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, the student associate of BNP, brought out a processions at four points – Satrasta, Segunbagicha, Bijoynagar and Green Road, in the morning.
The Naya Paltan headquarters of BNP was under lock since morning by the law enforcers. Members of police, Rapid Action Battalion were seen guarding the office till the shutdown ended at 6pm.
Shutdown supporters created panic in Narayanganj by setting fire on roads and exploding crude bombs town in the morning.
Except setting fire on an auto-rickshaw, no untoward incident marked Chittagong during hartal. Movement of both public and private transports were seen on the streets.
In Barisal, hartal supporters brought out processions in the morning while auto-rickshaws and buses hit the streets since morning.
A bus driver and 10 passengers were reportedly hurt in the brickbats hurled by the pickets on Saltha-Faridpur road in the morning. The injured driver and a passenger was rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital for better treatment.
