A dawn-to-dusk hartal, enforced by the District Bar Association protesting the killing of their fellow lawyer Chandan Kumar Sarker and six others after abduction, was observed spontaneously in the district on Sunday.
All modes of vehicles stayed off the streets while business establishments, including hotels and restaurants, kept their shutters down during the hartal hours. Even, train and launch services also remained suspended.
Meanwhile, supporters of slain Narayanganj City Corporation (NCC) panel mayor Nazrul Islam attacked a market owned by Nur Hossain, another NCC councilor and the prime accused in the seven murder case, at Shimrail in Siddhirganj.
They also vandalised three shops at Signboard, a bus in front of the local press club in the city and another one at Chashara.
The hartal supporters also blockade the Dhaka-Narayaganj train route at Chashara.
Several political and cultural bodies, including BNP and CPB, brought out separate processions in support of the hartal.
Meanwhile, NCC councillors, officials and employees started their 48-hour work abstention on Sunday morning protesting the killing. At one stage, NCC mayor Dr Selina Hayat Ivy also expressed her solidarity with them.
A large number of police remained deployed in the district during the hartal hours to fend off any untoward incident.
In another development, police seized the private car of Nuruzzaman, brother of Nur Hossain, from a glass factory owned by Jalal Ahmed behind Siddhirganj Truck Stand on Sunday morning.
Police suspected that the car was used for abducting and killing the seven people.
Speaking at a press briefing, Narayanganj police super Dr Khandakar Mahiuddin said they have made reveling progress in the seven murder case.
He also sought cooperation from all in arresting the accused and maintaining the law and order situation.
Besides, the killing case was transferred to Detective Branch of police from Fatulla Police Station on Sunday afternoon. Inspector Abdul Awal, officer-in-charge of DB police (investigation), was made investigation officer of the case.
Meanwhile, a police source claimed that important information was gleaned from 11 people detained during Saturday’s raid on the house of Nur.
They will be produced before the court and taken on remand for further interrogation, said the source.
Shamim Osman MP at a meeting on Dhaka-Chittagong Highway demanded immediate arrest and exemplary punishment of the killers.
He also claimed that everyone knows who were involved in the killing.
Narayanganj District Bar Association on Thursday announced the daylong hartal in the district in protest against the killing of Chandan Sarkar, a senior lawyer at Narayanganj District Judge’s Court and six others after their abduction.
On Sunday last, Chandan Kumar Sarker and his driver were abducted while they were going to capital Dhaka, hours into the abduction of Narayanganj panel mayor Nazrul Islam and his three associates and driver from Fatulla area of the city.
Three days into their abduction, the bodies of six people, including that of Nazrul and Chandan, were recovered from the Shitalakhya and Dhaleshwari rivers on Wednesday morning.
Besides, another body, believed to be of Jahangir, the car driver of Nazrul Islam, was recovered from the Shitalakhya River on Thursday morning.
The recovery of the bodies sparked violent protests among the family members, relatives, and the locals.
Source: UNBConnect