The third day of the nationwide 72-hour road-rail-waterway blockade, enforced by the BNP-led 18-party alliance, is progressing amid stray incidents of crude bomb blasts, clashes and arsons across the country today (Monday).
The fresh spell of blockade programme started at 6:00am Saturday and it will continue until 6:00am Tuesday if it is not extended further as done during the previous two spells.
Besides, a countrywide daylong hartal, called by Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, protesting what it said the government’s plan to kill its leader Abdul Quader Mollah for political purpose, is continuing amid the blockade programme.
In the capital, the blockade was marked by clashes between police and the blockaders and explosions of crude bombs in different parts of the city.
Opposition activists blasted six crude bombs at Shanir Akhra in Jatrabari and Mirpur-1 in the morning.
Police fired several rounds of bullet to disperse them in Shanir Akhra.
Unidentified blockaders tried to block rail line by torching tyres in Tejgaon area at about 6:15am.
On information, police rushed to the spot and doused the blaze.
Police arrested a woman named Shahnur, 30, from opposite Hotel Westin in Gulshan-2 while fleeing after hurling crude bombs in the area at about 08:50am, said Rafiqul Islam, officer-in-charge of Gulshan Police Station.
Rickshaws and auto-rickshaws dominated the city streets in the morning.
However, no long-route buses left Mohakhali, Sayedabad and Gabtoli terminals since morning fearing vandalism.
But local busses were seen plying the city roads, though with few passengers.
Like all other blockade days, huge law enforcers guarded the city streets to avoid any untoward incident.
Our Laxmipur Correspondent reports: At least nine crude bombs were exploded as Jamaat-Shibir activists blocked several points of the district by placing logs and burning tyres during the daylong countrywide strike called by Jamaat-e-Islami.
The hatral supporters brought out separate processions at Mandani Bazar, Joksin, Dalal Bazar, College road, North Temuhoni and South Temuhoni.
Pickets set vehicles on fire in Satkania of Chittagong and Savar of Dhaka.
Several crude bombs were reportedly blasted in Khulna, Rangpur and Sylhet districts.
The first two days of the protest programme was marked by incidents of violence like clashes, arson attacks, bomb blasts and vandalism in different parts of the country that left a BCL activist, Masudul Islam Masud, dead.
After the end of the 131-hour blockade programme protesting the election schedule, BNP joint secretary general Salauddin Ahmed on Thursday announced the 72-hour nationwide blockade through a video message sent from an undisclosed location.
The opposition combine earlier enforced 202 hours of road-rail-waterway blockade across the country in two spells– one of 71 hours and another of 131 hours– after the announcement of the election schedule for the 10th parliamentary elections that left at least 45 people dead.
On November 25, the Chief Election Commissioner announced that the 10th parliamentary elections will be held on January 5 next.
Source: UNBConnect
