BNP, allies ask people to make it a success
The BNP-led 18-party opposition alliance is enforcing an eight-hour countrywide hartal from 6:00am today protesting the arrest of BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and demanding restoration of the caretaker government system.
The BNP and its allies yesterday staged demonstrations in all municipalities, upazilas, and districts across the country and urged people to make today’s hartal a success.
The main opposition also warned the ruling party leaders of “public curfew”, and said it should not be long when the ministers would not be able to go outside their homes.
“People will siege the houses of ministers and ruling party leaders,” said Tariqul Islam, coordinator of the opposition’s agitation programmes, at a press briefing in BNP central office in the capital’s Nayapaltan area.
He also claimed that the government had filed the case against Fakhrul using fake signature of a city corporation driver, who was on leave during Tuesday’s hartal.
However, Home Minister Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir has vowed to resist the shutdown.
“Those who are enforcing hartal and blockade are the nation’s enemy. Khaleda Zia and her allies are doing these only to protect the war criminals,” said the home minister while addressing a programme at Bangabandhu Avenue yesterday.
Meanwhile, the Thakurgaon district BNP yesterday enforced a six-hour hartal demanding release of Mirza Fakhrul, who was arrested on Monday and sent to Kashimpur jail yesterday. Local units of the party also brought out processions in many districts protesting the arrest.
In Barisal, at least 30 people including an assistant police commissioner and five cops were injured in a clash between police and pro-hartal activists yesterday around 4:30pm, reports our correspondent.
Police charged batons, lobbed teargas canisters and fired rubber bullets to disperse the activists. At least four BNP activists were arrested from the spot.
In Mymensingh, at least 15 people were injured as the supporters of the opposition alliance clashed with police in the town yesterday evening.
The clash had erupted around 5:30pm when police blocked a pro-hartal procession in front of Mymensingh Zila School, reports our district correspondent quoting Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Kotwali Police Station Abu Fazlul Karim.
The opposition activists retaliated by pelting the police with brick chips prompting the law enforcers to use teargas and fire rubber bullets, said the OC, adding that they had picked up six people from the spot.
Meanwhile, drivers and cleaners of Dhaka City Corporation are reluctant to work during hartal hours fearing attack and assault by the pro-hartal activists.
“Garbage trucks are being vandalised while drivers are assaulted during political programmes. The city service might be hampered if this trend continues,” said Dhaka South City Corporation in a press release.
The corporation urged all to cooperate to ensure uninterrupted city service.
BNP LAMBASTS HANIF
The main opposition yesterday censured ruling Awami League leader Mahbubul Alam Hanif for his comment that BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia would also be arrested and brought under trial.
“Think of your [Hanif] own protection. The people will bring you all under trial for corruption, killing and violence,” said Tariqul Islam, also a senior member of the BNP standing committee.
He said, “Hanif was a shrimp trader and the vice president of Bheramara upazila Awami League. He was promoted as the joint general secretary of the party as he is a relative to the prime minister and now he is threatening Khaleda Zia. People will track him down and give him a good lesson.”
Meanwhile, Rahat Ara Begum, wife of Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, yesterday demanded release of her husband saying the government had arrested him only to make the situation worse.
She was talking to journalists on the Kashimpur jail premises. Fakhrul was shifted to the jail yesterday.
Source: The Daily Star
