The second day of the shutdown along with the countrywide blockade witnessed stray incidents of violence, arson and vandalism yesterday.
The BNP-led 20-party alliance called the 48-hour shutdown in Dhaka and Khulna divisions.
In the capital, additional police personnel were deployed at all key and strategic points and check posts set up at almost all important and busy intersections.
The day ended mostly normally in the capital except for some incidents of violence in the evening.
Around 7:30pm, a bus of Ekushey Paribahan was torched in the Maniknagar area near Kamalapur Railway Station.
Some 10 minutes later, some blockade supporters, disguised as passengers, got up on a bus of the Suprabhat Paribahan and torched it near the Rampura kitchen market. The same thing happened with a bus of the Rupkatha Paribahan in Gabtoli around 9pm.
At 8:45pm, a human haulier of Bondhu Paribahan was torched near the Abul Hotel in Malibagh.
Vehicular movement on the city roads increased with the time passing by. Train and launch communications with the districts were almost normal but a few number of inter-district buses left the capital.
Our Rajshahi correspondent reports: Blockaders attacked a convoy of goods-carrying trucks in Rajshahi city in the afternoon that left at least three people splinter-injured.
BGB, police and RAB members were escorting some 25 Dhaka-bound goods-laden trucks from Chapainawabganj.
As they reached Dorikhorbona area around 1pm miscreants hurled about 10 crude bombs and a petrol bomb at them.
The windshield of a truck was damaged while all others managed to speed away safely.
Of the crude bombs, one was blasted inside a printing press that left two employees injured. The shutter and glasses of the press were damaged.
A bomb missed its target and fell on a pedestrian.
The attackers also vandalised two tea stalls and torched chairs of Asha Saloon at Dorikhorbona intersection while fleeing the scene before the police reached there.
The law enforcers could not arrest anyone in connection with the attack.
Police suspected roles of Islami Chhatra Shibir cadres in the attack, said Iftekhair Alam, assistant commissioner of Rajshahi Metropolitan Police.
Two of the injured – Masem Sheikh, 40, his brother Kajin Sheikh, 28, – both of them are employees at Uttoron Printing Press – were admitted to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital.
Pedestrian Abdur Rashid, 38, who received splinter injuries in his right leg took first aid from the hospital.
In Dinajpur three people received burn injuries as blockaders hurled two petrol bombs at a truck in Kaharol upazila.
Meanwhile, district Awami League office was torched and four vehicles were set on fire in Sylhet yesterday morning but no one was hurt in the arson attacks.
In Dinajpur blockade supporters hurled two petrol bombs at a truck on Dinajpur-Panchagarh highway at Bhadgaon in Kaharol upazila leaving its driver, helper and a passenger injured.
Truck driver Rafiqul Islam, 45, helper Monir Hossain, 27, and a passenger, Abdul Maleque 46, were rushed to Dinajpur Medical College Hospital.
In Ghoraghat upazila, criminals set fire to a truck in Raniganj area around 11:30pm yesterday but locals doused the flame immediately.
In Chandpur miscreants set fire to the district Awami Leqague office on Chandpur-Comilla Road in the town around 5:15am.
Locals put out the blaze immediately.
In Sylhet two buses, a human hauler and an auto-rickshaw were torched in Dakkhin Surma and Golapganj upazilas between 8am and 10am.
A ready-made garment (RMG) worker was injured when blockaders pelted stone on a running three-wheeler in Chittagong city’s Panchlaish area in front of N Mohammed Plastic factory about 8:10am.
A factory worker Sumi Akhtar, 20, was injured in the attack, said Sub-Inspector (SI) Jahirul Islam of Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH) Police Outpost.
A case was lodged with Chandgaon Police Station against a local BNP ward councilor and four Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) leaders in connection with the crude bomb attacks on police.
Meanwhile, police arrested 11 leaders and activists of BNP and Jamaat-Shibir from different areas in Chittagong for their alleged involvement in subversive activities.
Officer-in-Charge (OC) Syed Abdur Rauf of Chandgaon police station said police filed a case against Chandgaon Ward 4 councilor and BNP leader Mahbubul Alam, four JCD leaders and unnamed five to six person in connection with the bomb attack.
Blockaders also hurled crude bombs at police in Chittagong city’s Chandgaon area on Wednesday night while they were discharging duties, leaving three constables injured.
At Habiganj’s Baniang miscreants vandalised the car of Upazila Nirbahi Officer Samshul Islam around 3pm when the car was parked in front of his house.
Police blamed Chhatra Dal men for the vandalism.
Unknown miscreants torched the house of Nalchhiti Upazila unit Jubo League President Dulal Sharif’s house around 3am. The fire gutted the kitchen and a motorcycle.
Dulal told reporters that they woke up and saw the flames. Locals doused the fire. Police said they were trying to arrest the criminals.
