Though the countrywide blockade enforced by the BNP-led 20-party alliance was met with tepid response, at least three persons fell victim to violence yesterday, the second day of the indefinite programme.
In Noakhali, two persons died after being hit by bullet during a clash between police and activists of BNP-Jamaat at Chowmuhani. They are Rubel, 30, a shopkeeper; and Mohiuddin Baburchi, 32, a cook who was passing the area at the time of the clash.
A dawn-to-dusk hartal was called for today in Noakhali in protest against the deaths.
The clash broke out when the police barred a procession brought out by the BNP-Jamaat men. The agitators torched five motorcycles including those of a journalist and police while also vandalised some shops in the area.
At one point, police fired blank shots to bring the situation under control.
The BNP-Jamaat men also allegedly responded with bullets. At that time, Rubel and Mohiuddin were hit by bullets.
They were rushed to the Noakhali Abdul Malek Ukil Medical College Hospital where the on duty doctor declared them dead. Begumganj unit Jubo Dal leaders claimed Rubel as their activist.
Thirty more people were injured with six receiving critical bullet injuries including OC (Investigation) Jisan Ahmed and Chowmuhani police camp In-Charge TSI Saiful Sikder.
A large number of police along with Border Guard Bangladesh personnel were deployed after the clashes.
Meanwhile, an auto-rickshaw passenger was killed in Sirajganj in an attack by blockaders on Bogra-Nagarbari road in Ullahpara upazila. The victim, Ismail Hossain, 60, hails from Jangidah village in Shahzadpur upazila.
OC of Ullapara police Tajul Huda said pickets threw bricks at the auto-rickshaw carrying Ismail near Shemolipara bus stand around 1pm, killing him on the spot.
His body was later recovered by the police and sent it to General Hospital for a post mortem examination.
In contrast to the other parts of the country, life in the capital was almost undisrupted although at least eight vehicles were torched on the first day of the blockade.
Miscreants yesterday tried to set a bus ablaze at Shewrapara in the morning. Witnesses said a bus of “Shikar Paribahan” was attacked near a police box at 9:05am. But the locals doused the fire immediately.
Three buses were also torched in Atimkhana intersection of Azimpur, Victoria Park in Old Dhaka and in front of the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque.
Fire service official Fariduzzaman said they were able to put out the fire at Azimpur and Victoria Park as soon as they were informed.
Moreover, a pick-up van was set on fire in Madhya Badda area around 6.30pm. Fire fighters doused the fire, said Shahjadi Sultana, duty officer of the Fire Service and Civil Defence headquarters.
Another passenger bus was torched around 9:30pm at Khilkhet by unknown miscreants. A unit of the fire service was deployed to extinguish the fire.
In Barisal, police arrested at least 14 leaders and activists of Islami Chhatra Shibir, the student front of Jamaat-e-Islami, after raiding a student dormitory on Jumir Khan Road in Alekanda area of the city.
The city and BM College unit president of the organisation was one of the arrestees. Crude bombs, Islamic literature, iron pipes and anti-government leaflets were also seized at that time.
Shakhawat Hossain, OC of Kotwali police, said most of the arrestees were wanted in various cases of political violence.
Members of different law enforcement agencies were patrolling the city roads to avert any untoward situation, said Shoyeb Ahmed, deputy commissioner (headquarters) of Barisal Metropolitan Police.
Another 44 people, including six leaders of Chhatra Shibir and five of the BNP, were arrested in a special drive by police in Jessore.
Spokesperson of Jessore police ASP Reshma Sharmin said the arrestees had been accused in various cases. The law enforcers also recovered a motorcycle, black flags, a laptop and cameras during the raid.
Bus helper Murad Molla, 20 received burn injuries when two buses were torched in Khajura Bus stand area in the morning yesterday. He was taken to a local hospital for treatment.
Our Chandpur correspondent reported that a clash between the police and the BNP activists left at least 60 people including 20 police men injured.
The clash began at 9am and continued until noon at Enayetpur on Chandpur-Comilla highway on Tuesday night.
In Lakshmipur, miscreants hurled hand bombs at a temporary police camp in Latifpur village injuring two police officers.
The injured are constables Siddique, 50 and Jahangir Alam, 40. They were sent to district Sadar Hospital for treatment, Assistant Police Super Md Nasim Mia told the Dhaka Tribune.
In Jhalakathi, blockaders put up barriers on Barisal-Jhalkathi regional highway by torching tyre and vandalised several buses.
Our Gaibandha correspondent reported that cases were filed against more than 200 BNP and Jamaat-Shibir activists with Polashbari police for vandalism and exploding hand bombs on Dhaka-Rangpur highway on Tuesday, Assistant Sub-Inspector Abdur Rouf confirmed to the Dhaka Tribune.
As an effect of the blockade, around 350 trucks loaded with goods from India were stuck at the Sona Masjid Port in Chapainawabganj. Moreover, 400 trucks could not enter the capital as there was no empty space in the yard of Panama Port Link.
Our Sylhet correspondent reported that the district BNP yesterday called hartal for today protesting the “confinement” of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and the arrest of acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.
Nasim Hossain, convener of Sylhet district unit BNP, made the announcement.
