The second phase of dawn-to-dusk hartal enforced by Jamaat-Shibir has passed off peacefully in Chittagong.
City life remained normal while no untoward incident took place in the port city during hartal hours.
Public transports and CNG-run auto rickshaws were seen plying on the city streets. Few private cars were also noticed moving.
Besides, the scheduled trains left the Chittagong while inter-district buses and vehicles were seen plying on three highways with police protection.
The presence of employees in the government, non government offices and others business establishments in the city were as usual.
However, the educational institutions were closed during the hartal considering the safety of the pupils.
CMP Additional Commissioner (Crime and Operation) Banaz Kumar Majumder said personnel of Border Guard Bangladesh, additional police force were deployed in the city’s important points while regular force of different police stations were also alert to face any untoward situation.
Superintendent of Police AKM Hafiz Akhter of Chittagong district said they kept strong vigilance on Dhaka-Chittagong, Chittagong-Cox’s Bazar and Chittagong- Rangamati highways so that the protesters could not block the important highways which connect the business capital with other parts of the country.
Meanwhile, Bakalia police arrested a youth along with 44 rounds of bullets from Karnaphuli Notun Bridge area during Monday’s hartal.
The arrestee was Md Bacchu, 22, son of Md Tajul Islam, hailed from Lalmohan of Bhola district, said Mohammed Mohsin, officer-in-charge (OC) of Bakalia police station.
The OC said acting on a tip-off a team of police conducted a drive in the area and held the youth in possession with 44 rounds of bullets in front of Mannan Tower of Chaktai area at around 12pm.
During primary questioning Bacchu said he had carried the bullets from Banshkhali area to provide to one arms trader in city’s Johur Hawkar Market under Kotwali police station, said the OC.
Bacchu was a professional arms trader and Chandgaon police arrested him along with a fire arm on December 11, 2013.
A case was lodged with Bakalia police station in this regard, he added.
