The second day of the 72-hour rail-road-waterway blockade programme, sponsored by the BNP-led 18-party alliance, is in progress amid violence, disrupting the normal life and wreaking havoc on the economy and education across the country.
As in recent days, the blockade programme hit the country’s train services hard, particularly in Rajshahi, Natore, Chandpur and Chittagong district.
More than 50 people were injured at different places of the country, including Gazipur, Rajshahi and Narayanganj, while 10-15 vehicles were either torched or vandalised in various places, including the capital, Narayanganj, Gazipur, Chandpur and Chapainawabganj.
In the capital, two buses were set ablaze near United University at Dhanmondi around 10:35am in Tanti Bazar area under Kotwali Police Station around 9:25 am.
Pro-blockade activists brought out processions in different areas, including Hatirjheel, Mirpur-11, Tejgaon, Hajipara, Uttara, Green Road and Khilkhet, in the city in the morning.
Police recovered 16 live crude bombs at Green Road following a clash with Shibir men.
Rickshaws and auto-rickshaws are the main mode of transport using the city dweller as there are a few numbers of motorised vehicles plying on the city streets.
However, no long-route bus left Mohakhali, Saydabad and Gabtoli terminals since morning fearing vandalism.
Vandalism and torching of vehicles, clashes between blockaders and police and ruling party men and arrest of opposition activist, explosion of crude bombs were also reported from different districts, Chittagong, Chandpur, Rajshahi, Gazipur, Narayanganj, Laxmipur and.
Besides, the train communications of Chittagong with Dhaka and Sylhet, between Rajshahi and other parts of the country routes remained suspended for a few hours as blockaders put barricades on rail tracks and removed fishplates.
Meanwhile, blockaders set ablaze two compartments of ‘Uttara Express’ train at Noldanga station in Natore around 10am, leaving several people injured.
Besides, separate daylong hartals, called by BNP and the 18-party alliance, were observed in Chittagong, Cox’s Bazar and Dinajpur districts and four upazilas of Sylhet on Sunday.
The opposition combine enforced the blockade programme at 6am on Saturday demanding cancellation of the schedule for the 10th parliamentary elections slated for January 5 and protesting the filing of ‘false’ cases against opposition leaders and activists.
The first day of the blockade was marked by violent incidents in different parts of the country that left four people dead in the capital, Chittagong, Jhenidah and Pabna districts.
On Friday night, BNP spokesperson Rizvi announced the 72-hour blockade programme from Saturday 6am to Tuesday 6am.
The blockade is also meant for protesting denial of permission to it to hold a rally at Suhrawardy Udyan on Saturday afternoon and the continued repression and oppression on opposition leaders and activists.
Source: UNBConnect
