Commuters suffer due to thin presence of public transports; Rangpur City Corporation areas remain out of purview of shutdown
The countrywide daylong hartal enforced by the left-leaning parties passed off amid road blockade and processions in the capital on Tuesday.
The pro-hartal activists picketed at different city points including Motijheel, Paltan, Dainik Bangla intersection, Matsya Bhaban intersection, Kantaban and Mirpur.
They also brought out processions holding banners and placards demanding a ban on communal politics including that of Jamaat-e-Islami and ensuring speedy trial of the war criminals.
The hartal supporters also brought out processions in Rajshahi, Barisal, Sylhet and Narayanganj. But no incident of violence was reported so far.
Meanwhile, Rangpur City Corporation areas remain out of the purview of the hartal due to its maiden city corporation election slated for December 20.
At some points in the capital, the hartal supporters were seen singing songs blocking roads amid presence of overwhelming number of rickshaws everywhere.
The blockade at different points has forced the public transports off some roads in the city.
Police, deployed at key points, were seen diverting vehicles from Paltan, Dainik Bangla intersection, Shahbagh and some other intersections.
The city commuters especially the office-goers as usual struggled to commute due to thin presence of public transports including CNG-run three-wheelers.
Unlike other hartal days, the state-run BRTC buses also stayed off the roads.
However our correspondent reports that a human hauler came under attack by the picketers in Paltan area with its windshield smashed.
The leaders and activists of Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB), Bangladesher Samajtantrik Dal (BSD) and Gonotantrik Baam Morcha, an alliance of seven left-leaning parties, has taken position on the city roads stretching from Dainik Bangla intersection to High Court premises since 6:30am.
They also brought out processions in the same areas.
Zonayed Saki, convenor of Gonotantrik Baam Morcha and Saiful Haque, its coordinator; Manjurul Ahsan Khan, president of the CPB; Ruhin Hossain Prince, its leader; and Khalequzzaman, general secretary of BSD, among others took part in the procession.
On the other hand, Progatishil Chhatra Jote, a combine of left-leaning student bodies, brought out processions at Shahbagh blocking the intersection, hampering traffic in the area.
In Mirpur-10, public transport was not seen plying on road till 10:30am.
The presence of private cars was also thin on the city roads.
Additional contingent of law enforcers were deployed at different key points and intersections in the capital to main law and order situation.
All educational institutions however remained closed due to the shutdown. The roadside shops and shopping arcades were also shuttered down.
NARAYANGANJ
Activists of the CPB and BSD brought out a procession from Chashara around 6:30am supporting the hartal.
Another procession led by CPB district unit President Hafizul Islam and Central Committee President of Garment Workers’ Trade Union and BSD leader Mahbubur Rahman Ismail paraded different city roads in the morning.
CHITTAGONG
Police picked up a person while he was picketing in front of Sitakundu upazila office around 8:30am.
The leaders and activists of CPB and BSD gathered at different city points supporting the hartal.
They were seen intercepting rickshaws and human haulers and requesting its passengers to get down from the vehicles to observe the hartal spontaneously.
SYLHET
Hartal supporters brought out processions at the city’s Zindabazar, Court Point and Amborkhana areas in the morning.
RAJSHAHI
National flag-wielding pro-hartal activists led by CPB general secretary of district unit Enamul Haque brought out a procession at Shahebbazar Zero Point in the city around 11:30am.
RANGPUR
The CPB and BSD have kept Rangpur City Corporation areas out of the purview of the hartal due to its maiden city corporation election scheduled for December 20.
The candidates will continue their election campaign till Tuesday midnight.
BARISAL
CPB and BSD activists brought out processions at Sadar Road, Kakoli intersection and Fazlul Haque Avenue in the city.
BACKGROUND
The CPB, BSD and Gonotantrik Baam Morcha, an alliance of seven left-leaning parties, called the nationwide dawn-to-dusk hartal on December 7 demanding a ban on communal politics and ensuring speedy trial of the war crime suspects.
Their other demands are: arresting and punishing those responsible for the November 24 fire at Tazreen Fashions; ensuring security at workplaces including garments as per law; securing proper wage for workers and right to conduct trade unions; and reducing the prices of electricity, transport cost, house rent and daily necessities, and cancelling the decision to raise fuel price upon IMF prescription.
Different garment workers’ organisations, including Garments Sramik Trade Union Kendra and Bangladesh Poshak Shilpo Sramik Federation, expressed solidarity with the hartal demanding immediate trial of the people who were responsible for the recent fire incident at Tazreen Fashions garment factory.
Source: The Daily Star
