Arson, vandalism and sporadic clashes across the country marked the first day of the BNP-led 20-party alliance’s countrywide indefinite blockade programme.
Reports of violence came in from across the country, showing that at least 12 people were injured and many vehicles vandalised in blockade-related incidents. One person in Chandpur, who was attacked by pickets on Monday night, also succumbed to his injuries yesterday.
In Dhaka, at least six vehicles were torched throughout the day. In one of those attacks, an Ansar member suffered burns near the Lal Masjid area in Kadamtali at around 6am.
Kadamtali police station Officer-in-Charge Mizanur Rahmna said: “Forty-year-old Ansar member Monwar Hossain sustained burn injuries when miscreants torched a tempo [human haulier] in the area.”
Later at around 2pm, a BRTC bus and a private car were torched by miscreants in front of the Rajuk building in Motijheel.
Also around the same time, a bus was torched at Tatibazar intersection. Masum, the driver of the burnt bus, said the vehicle was carrying around 10-12 passengers when five to six young men climbed aboard in Gulistan. After reaching Tatibazar, the men told the passengers to get down before exploding a crude bomb and setting the bus on fire.
Elsewhere, Shahbagh police station Sub-Inspector Mizanur Rahman said two passengers and a driver were injured when a bus of Shekhor Paribahan was set ablaze near Shahbagh in the afternoon. Witnesses said two young men hurled crude bombs and torched the bus, which was picking up passengers at its counter.
In the evening, two more buses were torched at Gulistan and Mohakhali’ Amtoli intersection. No injury was reported from the incidents, said Ziaur Rahman, control room officer of Fire Service and Civil Defence.
Another bus – belonging to Cantonment Mini Service – was set ablaze near Banani’s Chairmanbari area at around 7pm, said Banani police station OC Bhuiyan Mahbub Hasan. In Gulshan, miscreants exploded several crude bombs in front of the Gulshan police station, while the police managed to arrest two people from the scene, said Gulshan OC Rafiqul Islam.
Two crude bombs were set off at Natunbazar, said Badda OC Abdul Jalil; while on the Johnson Road, miscreants hurled cocktails and started a fire on the road in front of the Dhaka deputy commissioner’s office.
Violence outside Dhaka
Widespread violence was also reported by our correspondents from different districts across the country.
In Narayanganj, at least five BNP activists were injured during a chase and counter-chase with the police. Narayanganj Sadar station OC Monjur Kader said the police fired blank rounds to disperse a BNP procession near the town’s Khanpur Hospital Road.
In Rajshahi, Shibir activists beat up two policemen after snatching their weapons. Pickets pounced on Constables Amzad Hossain and Shafiqul Islam, who were left behind on the street after their police van came under attack by the Shibir men near the Sapura Wasa Bhaban.
Rajshahi city DB police Assistant Commissioner Iftekayer Alam said six people were arrested from the area during a raid later in the day.
Meanwhile, in Chandpur, a businessman died yesterday after succumbing to injuries sustained during an attack by pickets on the night before. Alok Chakrabarti, 35, son of Ramesh Chakrabarti, died while being brought to Dhaka for better medical attention.
Alok suffered his injuries on Monday night when the CNG-run autorickshaw he was on came under attack by pickets near Ghosherhat area, causing the vehicle to turn turtle, said Chandpur Additional Superintendent of Police Kamrul Islam.
Our Comilla correspondent said around 20-22 vehicles were vandalised by Chhatra Dal activists at Alekharchar intersection yesterday. Comilla Assistant Superintendent of Police (Sadar) Jahangir Alam said law enforcers fired eight rounds of rubber bullets to disperse the procession, while the local Chhatra Dal claimed that around 10 of their activists were injured.
In Tangail, police arrested three activists of the Chhatra Dal including the district unit’s Joint Secretary Touhidul Islam Babu, said Tangail Model police station OC Golam Mustafa. Pro-blockade activists also torched and vandalised vehicles at Ashekpur Bypass area of the Dhaka-Tangail highway, the OC said.
In Thakurgaon, the district BNP unit declared a dawn-to-dusk hartal for today protesting the arrest of Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir. District BNP Vice-President Mirza Faysal Amin made the announcement.
In Jamalpur, miscreants vandalised two trucks in Bagherhata area, confirmed Jamalpur Sadar station OC Md Mujibur Rahman.
In Gazipur, around seven people were injured and two others were detained following a clash between police and Swechchhasebak Dal leaders in Tongi area. Tongi police station SI Maleka Banu said the police fired a few rounds of rubber bullets to control the situation after the Swechchhasebak Dal brought out a procession in the area.
In Noakhali, 16 BNP activists were detained by the police from different places in the town, said Md Eliash Sharif, the superintendent of police in Noakhali.
Our Faridpur correspondent also reported that a bus was torched in the district’s Jhiltuli area yesterday.
Our Jhalakati correspondent reported that pickets were active in the town’s Shatpakia, College intersection, BRAC intersection, Chadkathi intersection, Bagri and Rajpur’s Bypass. Jhalakati Senior ASP AFM Anwar Hossain said police and RAB have been deployed to prevent any untoward situation.
