The BNP supporters have locked in a clash with members of police at Pallabi in capital’s Mirpur in the early hours of the daylong hartal called by BNP-led 20-party alliance.
Police chased the hartal supporters when they started vandalising vehicles on the road around 8am that triggered a clash.
“At a stage, police opened fire to disperse the unruly strikers,” Pallabi police station OC Ziauzzaman said.
He said a striker was injured in the clash. “He was admitted to the Dhaka Medical College Hospital.”
The dawn-to-dusk hartal called by the BNP-led 20-party alliance in protest of the denial of giving permission to hold rally in Gazipur, is underway across the country amid sporadic incidents.
This is the second hartal enforced by the alliance since the January 5 elections boycotted by the BNP and affiliate political parties.
Border Guard Bangladesh officials said BGB men have been deployed in major cities, including the capital, to maintain law and order, and they would remain posted until the further notice.
The alliance also observed a dawn-to-dusk hartal on Saturday in Gazipur for the same issue.
Gazipur district administration imposed an indefinite ban on all gatherings from 2pm on Friday until further notice.
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia was scheduled to hold a meeting at Bhawal Badr-e-Alam College ground on Saturday but Chhatra League also announced a rally on the same venue.
In such a situation section 144 was imposed.
The BNP alleged that the government has imposed section 144 in Gazipur as part of its planned conspiracy to foil the rally.
