Mounting tension results in violence
Growing political tension culminated in a day of sporadic violence yesterday, which saw at least four people killed, party offices burned and scores of others injured across the country.
Although the January 5 programmes by political rivals Awami League and BNP were centred around Dhaka, the fatalities took place in three north-western districts: two deaths in Natore and one each in Rajshahi and Chapainawabganj. Protesting the deaths and arrests, local units of the BNP called hartals separately in Chittagong, Rajshahi, Chapainawabganj and Natore.
Khaleda calls non-stop blockade
Once again “confined” and barred from joining a rally of the 20-party alliance, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia yesterday announced a countrywide indefinite blockade of road, rail and waterways.
“The programme will continue until further notice. We will set the next course of action after the situation calms down. I will ask the 20-party alliance leaders and activists to carry on with the movement until our demand is fulfilled,” she said.
Hasina advises Khaleda to reorganize her party first
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday advised BNP chief Khaleda Zia on how she could earn people’s trust and come to power in future, but for the moment she said Khaleda should focus on her party and leave the “path of violence.”
“The way you are doing politics will not benefit the people; rather, you will lose their trust and confidence. Shun the path of violence and choose the one of peace. Tell the people about your plans for the betterment of people’s socio-economic condition,” the prime minister said in her speech marking one year of the 10th general election.
People suffer as Dhaka marooned
On a day of fear and uncertainty surrounding the January 5 political programmes, unending miseries had to be endured by passengers willing to enter or leave Dhaka or commute within the capital.
Although no political party had called a hartal yesterday, inter-district communication with Dhaka came to a near standstill with only the railway link staying open yesterday.
Police: Everything done for Khaleda’s own good
The press corps and law enforcers readied themselves yesterday around 12 noon as news spread outside the BNP’s Gulshan office that its chairperson, Khaleda Zia, would finally emerge from the office where she had been confined.
Suddenly, three female police personnel strode up to the main gate of the BNP office and turned to face the street.
Dr Kamal: Break deadlock through consensus, not violence
Dr Kamal Hossain yesterday said the present political standoff should be overcomed through a national consensus and dialogue, not through street violence.
“We need to overcome this situation through an immediate national consensus and dialogue, not street violence,” he told a roundtable at the Jatiya Press Club.
DMP: It was not section 144
Dhaka Metropolitan Police has clarified that no section 144 under the Code of Criminal Procedure was imposed in the capital. The DMP on Sunday imposed a ban on all kinds of meetings and procession sin the city from 5pm that day until further order.
The directive came as the Awami League and BNP announced rallies for yesterday.
BNP men attack two photojournalists
BNP supporters attacked two photojournalists during a clash with police at Puthia upazila in Rajshahi yesterday.
Azahar Uddin, a photojournalist of the Dhaka Tribune, and Rayhan, a cameraman from Channel 24, were attacked around 4:45pm.
Khaleda Zia’s two nights and two days
On Saturday night, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia decided to visit Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, the ailing joint secretary general who was at that time staying in the party’s Nayapaltan office. Around 10:30pm, she asked her personal aides to get ready to go to there.
However, by the time she came down the stairs and got onto her white Nissan Petrol inside the main gate of her Gulshan office around 11:30pm, police had entered the Nayapaltan office and taken Rizvi “to a hospital for treatment.” Additional law enforcers were deployed in front of Khaleda’s Gulshan office as well.
