The first day of a 48-hour nationwide general strike enforced by Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh, called to protest death sentences handed down to two of its leaders for war crimes, passed off with barely any response across the country.
The fresh shut down that began at 6am yesterday will end at 6am on Friday.
In the capital, activists of Jamaat and its student wing, Islami Chhatra Shibir, brought out processions at the Madartek, Jurain and Bakshibazar areas of the capital yesterday morning in support of the hartal.
Several crude bombs were detonated at Bakshibazar in the city yesterday morning. No one was reported injured.
Pro-hartal activists set fire to a passenger bus in front of Tejgaon Girls College around 8:27pm. Two units of fire fighters rushed to the spot and doused the fire. No injury was reported.
Hartal supporters blasted two crude bombs around 8:50pm just outside the office of the English-language national daily, the Dhaka Tribune. GG Biswash, officer-in-charge (OC) of Sher-e-Bangla Nagar police station, told the Dhaka Tribune that before police arrived at the scene of the attack, the picketers had fled. There were no reports of any injuries.
Activists blasted crude bombs at the Khilgaon railway station around 8pm. Police rushed to the scene of the explosions where they were pelted with bricks by hartal enforcers.
Police responded by firing rubber bullets at the brick-throwing picketers, injuring two passers-by. The injured, Sanaullah Haque, 22, and Jafor, 40, are being treated at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH), Mozammel Haque, inspector of the DMCH police outpost, told the Dhaka Tribune.
Long-route buses stayed put during the shut down, not leaving Gabtoli, Mohakhali, and Syedabad bus terminals.
The authorities deployed Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) troops to different parts of the country. Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and police forces were seen since early morning at key points in Dhaka.
Saidur Rahman, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) additional deputy commissioner (ADC), told the Dhaka Tribune that no major incident occurred in the capital and no one had been arrested in the capital as of 6pm yesterday.
Our Gazipur correspondent reports that pro-hartal activists set fire to a private car and a covered van on the Dhaka-Mymensingh Highway in front of the Gazipur City Corporation in the Vogra area. The incident took place around 1pm, says Mobarak Hossain, Sub-Inspector (SI) of Vogra police station. Picketers set fire to the car using petrol, he said. Gazipur fire station firemen responded to the emergency, but the act of vandalism halted traffic on the highway for half an hour, he added.
In Chittagong, the Jamaat-enforced hartal passed off in the district peacefully, our correspondent reports. Transports and CNG-run auto rickshaws plied city roads during hartal hours like any other day. Mizbah Uddin, deputy commissioner of Chittagong district, told the Dhaka Tribune that no major untoward incidents happened in the district and law enforcement officials had been deployed at all key points.
Our Meherpur correspondent reports that police arrested 26 Jamaat-Shibir activists during the last three days. Azbahar Sheikh, additional police superintendent, said the arrestees would be produced before the court as they are accused in several cases of attacks on the police, unlawful cutting down of trees to make barricades, the obstruction of officials carrying out their duties, and subversive activities.
In Munshiganj, no Jamaat-Shibir activists were seen working in support of the hartal on the day, our correspondent reports. Biplob Bijoy Talukder, Police superintendent of the district, said all vehicular movement was normal and law enforcers were alert to fend off any kind of situation.
Our Gaibandha correspondent reports that some picketers, in support of the hartal, brought out a procession in Gaibandha’s Polashbari area and threw crude bombs towards police around 9am. Police fired 20 rounds of shot gun shots to bring the situation under control.
Mojibur Rahman, OC of Polashbari police station, told the Dhaka Tribune that police returned fire when picketers hurled crude bombs at them. Police arrested three Jamaat-Shibir men from the spot, he added.
Our Chandpur correspondent reports that 11 Jamaat-Shibir men from the district were arrested in a special drive. Amir Jafor, police superintendent of the district, said police are on alert during the hartal.
In Bogra, a group of Shibir activists brought out a procession in support of the hartal and blocked a road at Khandar in the district town around 7am, UNB reports. Earlier, two crude bombs were exploded at Akubia High School intersection during a procession on Tuesday evening. Police said they arrested 11 leaders and activists of Jamaat and Shibir from different upazilas of the district on Tuesday night.
