Second daylong hartal ends with stray incidents
1 killed, over 300 injured, 280 arrested across country
Dhaka, Apr 23 (UNB) – A man was shot dead and over 300 were injured in clashes between pro-hartal activists and police during the second nationwide daylong hartal enforced by the main opposition BNP on Monday.
After the hartal for the two consecutive days, BNP also called another shutdown for Wednesday as the government failed to trace its organising secretary M Ilias Ali and his driver, Ansar, who remained missing since April 17 midnight.
BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir announced the fresh hartal programme at a press briefing at the party central office at about 5pm.
Components of the BNP-led 18-Party Alliance -- Jamaat-e-Islami, BJP, IOJ, Khelafat Majlish, LDP, JAGPA, NAP, Kalyan Party, NPP, Liberal Democratic Party, Muslim League, Islamic Party, Democratic League and Jamiat-e-Olama-e-Islam -- also extended their support to the daylong shutdown.
Meanwhile, the second dawn-to-dusk hartal ended at 6:00pm disrupting the normal life amid stray incidents of clashes and the arrest of opposition activists in the capital and elsewhere in the country.
Most shops and all educational institutions remained closed and traffic was disrupted during the hartal hours. But the government offices remained opened as usual.
According to reports reaching the UNB desk from across the country, over 300 people were injured and some 280 picketers arrested, including 41 in the capital, as opposition activists attempted to take to the streets to enforce the hartal, the 11th such shutdown by BNP since the Awami League-led grand alliance assumed power in January 2009.
However, BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir at the press briefing on the countrywide daylong shutdown claimed that two BNP men were killed and 795 leaders and workers of BNP and its front and associate organisations were injured during the hartal hours.
Besides, 371 opposition activists were detained across the country, he added.
In Sylhet, a man was shot dead and over 100 were injured in a fierce clash between pro-hartal activists and police in Biswanath upazila headquarters on Monday afternoon.
Contacted, police super of the district Sakhwat Hossain said a man was killed in the clash.
The identity of the dead could not be known yet.
However, BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam at the press briefing claimed that two BNP men were killed in police firing in the upazila.
Witnesses said the clash broke out when police obstructed pro-hratal activists from bringing out a procession at about 2pm.
Later, several thousand people from nearly 15 villages of the upazila equipped with rods and sticks attacked the local police station.
Fearing danger, the on-duty policemen fired several hundred gunshots, triggering a fierce clash that left one killed and over 100 injured.
Of the injured, Biswanath police station officer-in-charge (investigation) Chand Miah was taken to Sylhet Osmani Medical College Hospital in a critical condition.
The agitated pro-hartal activists also set fire to the upazila parishad building, damaging its valuables and documents.
UNB correspondents covering the general strike in the capital report that law enforcers resisted the hartal supporters whenever they tried to bring out any procession or stage demonstration.
Almost all modes of vehicles, except rickshaws and a few CNG-run auto-rickshaws, stayed off the streets fearing vandalism.
Police arrested eight leaders and activists BNP, including its vice-chairman Selima Rahman, from the city’s Gulshan area this (Monday) morning when they tried to bring out a procession in support of the shutdown.
Witnesses said a team from Gulshan Police Station arrested the BNP leaders and activists from Gulshan-1 in the morning. Later, they were taken to Cantonment Police Station.
BNP lawmakers, including MK Anwar, Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Annie and Syeda Asifa Ashrafi Papia brought out a procession from the Sangsad Bhaban Complex in the morning
Police and Bangladesh Chhatra League activists obstructed Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal men from bringing out a procession in the city’s Mohakhali area.
Meanwhile, two cocktails were exploded in front BNP’s central office while another one was exploded at Fakirerpool area during the hartal hours. Another cocktail went off at Mirpur Section-1. However, no one was injured in the incidents.
Unidentified criminals set fire to a bus in the city's Chankharpool area in the morning.
Earlier, at 2.30am, plainclothes police arrested two youths – Obaid and Ershad - along with seven cocktails from Elephant Road.
Pro-hartal supporters also vandalised a BRTC bus in the city’s Motijheel area.
Like the previous day, police and Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) personnel kept the BNP central office at Nayapaltan cordoned off since the morning. No BNP leader and activist were allowed to enter the office.
Witnesses said the hartal supporters could hardly go for picketing in any major city of the country because of strong security measures taken by the government.
The hartal for the two days caused immense sufferings to people, especially the poor, who depend on daily earnings to eke out a living for their families.
The prices of almost all the essential commodities have shot up in the city because of the hartal, multiplying the sufferings of low and fixed income-group people.
In Chittagong, police arrested 21 leaders and activists of BNP and its front organisations from Wasa Crossing, Pakulia, Muradpur and Kazirdewri of the city while picketing in support of the hartal.
Meanwhile, city unit president of BNP Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury claimed that police picked up over 30 leaders and activists of the main opposition and its front orgainsations.
Besides, police obstructed BNP leaders and activists, including its vice-chairman Abdullah Al Noman, from gathering at the city’s Alankar Crossing in the morning.
In Shariatpur, around 50 people, including seven cops, were injured as BCL men attacked a meeting of BNP and its front and associate organisations in the town during hartal hours.
BNP district unit president Jamal Sharif Hiru and general secretary Mahbub Alam Talukdar were among the injured.
The policemen suffered injuries as they tried to quell the BCL men, said the witnesses.
The unruly activists of the ruling party’s student wing also damaged and looted the BNP office and later set fire to it. Local people doused the flame after 20 minutes.
In Rajshahi, at least 25 people, including district unit BNP president Mizanur Rahman Minu, were injured in clashes with police in separate places.
Witnesses said when BNP activists brought out a procession in support of the hartal police obstructed them, triggering a clash that left 11 people, including Minu, injured in Ambagan area in the town early morning. Minu was rushed to a local clinic.
Besides, 11 BNP men were injured in a clash with police when police obstructed another BNP procession at Saheb Bazar at 11 am. Five BNP activists were injured at police lobbed teargas shells during a clash with hartal supporters near Loknath High School in the town.
Police arrested 30 people from separate places during the hartal.
In Barisal, police arrested at least 71 pro-hartal activists in the six districts of the district as the opposition activists took to the streets in support of the hartal.
Police took control of the city in the morning and foiled several attempts of the opposition activists to bring out pro-hartal processions.
However, anti-hartal activists brought out processions at different parts of the city without obstruction from police.
In Savar, police arrested eight pro-hartal activists as they tried to bring out a procession in the morning.
In Gazipur, police arrested 28 BNP leaders and activists from separate places during the hartal.
Sources said 14 were held from Joydevpur, nine from Tongi and five from Kapasia upazila.
In Shariatpur, 10 hartal supporters were injured in clashes with police in the district.
BNP executive committee member and president of the district unit Jamal Sharif was detained by police.
In Sirajganj, 15 activists of BNP and its front organisations were injured in a clash with police during the hartal hours.
Besides, police arrested district Jubo Dal organising Secretary Al Amin, district Jamaat Surah member, Abdur Razzak, Raiganj upazila BNP publicity secretary Halimul Islam and Shahjadpur upazila Chhatra Dal vice-president Sani Ahmed as they tried to bring out a rally in support of the hartal.
In Khagrachhari, at least 15 people were injured in clashes between hartal supporters and police and ruling party men in separate places.
Besides, police arrested six people while picketing in Kharachari sadar. They arrested 14 people during a drive at night.
In Jhenidah, at least 50 people were injured in clashes among police, ruling party men and BNP activists during the hartal hours in the town.
BCL district unit president Khairul Islam, BNP Sadar upazila unit president Kamal Azad Pannu, district Jubo Dal unit president Rawshan bin Kadar Miron, ex-UP chairman and BNP leader Mizanur Rahman, NTV cameraman Shajib and Bangladesh Protidin district correspondent Ruhul Amin were among the injured.
In Laxmipur, at least 15 people were injured in a clash between Chhatra Dal and BCL men at Raipur upazila in the district.
Witnesses said the Chhatra Dal activists were picketing in support of hartal at Rakhalia Bazar some 20-25 BCL men coming in a motorbike attacked them, triggering a clash that left 15 people injured.
Later, BCL men vandalised upazila BNP office and 12 shops. The injured were admitted to local clinics and Sadar hospital.
In Narayanganj, at least 10 BNP men were injured as police charged baton on them when they brought out a procession in support of the hartal at Siddhirganj.
Meanwhile, Tahsina Rushdir Luna, the wife of missing BNP leader Ilias Ali, on Monday renewed her demand to the government for the return her husband, saying that still she has no information about him.
Luna said members of the law-enforcing agencies want to know from her different things at different times.
Asked if there is any pressure on her from any quarter, Luna said there is no pressure on her and she does not care about any pressure. “I want my husband back.”
After the hartal for the two consecutive days, BNP also called another shutdown for Wednesday as the government failed to trace its organising secretary M Ilias Ali and his driver, Ansar, who remained missing since April 17 midnight.
BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir announced the fresh hartal programme at a press briefing at the party central office at about 5pm.
Components of the BNP-led 18-Party Alliance -- Jamaat-e-Islami, BJP, IOJ, Khelafat Majlish, LDP, JAGPA, NAP, Kalyan Party, NPP, Liberal Democratic Party, Muslim League, Islamic Party, Democratic League and Jamiat-e-Olama-e-Islam -- also extended their support to the daylong shutdown.
Meanwhile, the second dawn-to-dusk hartal ended at 6:00pm disrupting the normal life amid stray incidents of clashes and the arrest of opposition activists in the capital and elsewhere in the country.
Most shops and all educational institutions remained closed and traffic was disrupted during the hartal hours. But the government offices remained opened as usual.
According to reports reaching the UNB desk from across the country, over 300 people were injured and some 280 picketers arrested, including 41 in the capital, as opposition activists attempted to take to the streets to enforce the hartal, the 11th such shutdown by BNP since the Awami League-led grand alliance assumed power in January 2009.
However, BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir at the press briefing on the countrywide daylong shutdown claimed that two BNP men were killed and 795 leaders and workers of BNP and its front and associate organisations were injured during the hartal hours.
Besides, 371 opposition activists were detained across the country, he added.
In Sylhet, a man was shot dead and over 100 were injured in a fierce clash between pro-hartal activists and police in Biswanath upazila headquarters on Monday afternoon.
Contacted, police super of the district Sakhwat Hossain said a man was killed in the clash.
The identity of the dead could not be known yet.
However, BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam at the press briefing claimed that two BNP men were killed in police firing in the upazila.
Witnesses said the clash broke out when police obstructed pro-hratal activists from bringing out a procession at about 2pm.
Later, several thousand people from nearly 15 villages of the upazila equipped with rods and sticks attacked the local police station.
Fearing danger, the on-duty policemen fired several hundred gunshots, triggering a fierce clash that left one killed and over 100 injured.
Of the injured, Biswanath police station officer-in-charge (investigation) Chand Miah was taken to Sylhet Osmani Medical College Hospital in a critical condition.
The agitated pro-hartal activists also set fire to the upazila parishad building, damaging its valuables and documents.
UNB correspondents covering the general strike in the capital report that law enforcers resisted the hartal supporters whenever they tried to bring out any procession or stage demonstration.
Almost all modes of vehicles, except rickshaws and a few CNG-run auto-rickshaws, stayed off the streets fearing vandalism.
Police arrested eight leaders and activists BNP, including its vice-chairman Selima Rahman, from the city’s Gulshan area this (Monday) morning when they tried to bring out a procession in support of the shutdown.
Witnesses said a team from Gulshan Police Station arrested the BNP leaders and activists from Gulshan-1 in the morning. Later, they were taken to Cantonment Police Station.
BNP lawmakers, including MK Anwar, Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Annie and Syeda Asifa Ashrafi Papia brought out a procession from the Sangsad Bhaban Complex in the morning
Police and Bangladesh Chhatra League activists obstructed Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal men from bringing out a procession in the city’s Mohakhali area.
Meanwhile, two cocktails were exploded in front BNP’s central office while another one was exploded at Fakirerpool area during the hartal hours. Another cocktail went off at Mirpur Section-1. However, no one was injured in the incidents.
Unidentified criminals set fire to a bus in the city's Chankharpool area in the morning.
Earlier, at 2.30am, plainclothes police arrested two youths – Obaid and Ershad - along with seven cocktails from Elephant Road.
Pro-hartal supporters also vandalised a BRTC bus in the city’s Motijheel area.
Like the previous day, police and Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) personnel kept the BNP central office at Nayapaltan cordoned off since the morning. No BNP leader and activist were allowed to enter the office.
Witnesses said the hartal supporters could hardly go for picketing in any major city of the country because of strong security measures taken by the government.
The hartal for the two days caused immense sufferings to people, especially the poor, who depend on daily earnings to eke out a living for their families.
The prices of almost all the essential commodities have shot up in the city because of the hartal, multiplying the sufferings of low and fixed income-group people.
In Chittagong, police arrested 21 leaders and activists of BNP and its front organisations from Wasa Crossing, Pakulia, Muradpur and Kazirdewri of the city while picketing in support of the hartal.
Meanwhile, city unit president of BNP Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury claimed that police picked up over 30 leaders and activists of the main opposition and its front orgainsations.
Besides, police obstructed BNP leaders and activists, including its vice-chairman Abdullah Al Noman, from gathering at the city’s Alankar Crossing in the morning.
In Shariatpur, around 50 people, including seven cops, were injured as BCL men attacked a meeting of BNP and its front and associate organisations in the town during hartal hours.
BNP district unit president Jamal Sharif Hiru and general secretary Mahbub Alam Talukdar were among the injured.
The policemen suffered injuries as they tried to quell the BCL men, said the witnesses.
The unruly activists of the ruling party’s student wing also damaged and looted the BNP office and later set fire to it. Local people doused the flame after 20 minutes.
In Rajshahi, at least 25 people, including district unit BNP president Mizanur Rahman Minu, were injured in clashes with police in separate places.
Witnesses said when BNP activists brought out a procession in support of the hartal police obstructed them, triggering a clash that left 11 people, including Minu, injured in Ambagan area in the town early morning. Minu was rushed to a local clinic.
Besides, 11 BNP men were injured in a clash with police when police obstructed another BNP procession at Saheb Bazar at 11 am. Five BNP activists were injured at police lobbed teargas shells during a clash with hartal supporters near Loknath High School in the town.
Police arrested 30 people from separate places during the hartal.
In Barisal, police arrested at least 71 pro-hartal activists in the six districts of the district as the opposition activists took to the streets in support of the hartal.
Police took control of the city in the morning and foiled several attempts of the opposition activists to bring out pro-hartal processions.
However, anti-hartal activists brought out processions at different parts of the city without obstruction from police.
In Savar, police arrested eight pro-hartal activists as they tried to bring out a procession in the morning.
In Gazipur, police arrested 28 BNP leaders and activists from separate places during the hartal.
Sources said 14 were held from Joydevpur, nine from Tongi and five from Kapasia upazila.
In Shariatpur, 10 hartal supporters were injured in clashes with police in the district.
BNP executive committee member and president of the district unit Jamal Sharif was detained by police.
In Sirajganj, 15 activists of BNP and its front organisations were injured in a clash with police during the hartal hours.
Besides, police arrested district Jubo Dal organising Secretary Al Amin, district Jamaat Surah member, Abdur Razzak, Raiganj upazila BNP publicity secretary Halimul Islam and Shahjadpur upazila Chhatra Dal vice-president Sani Ahmed as they tried to bring out a rally in support of the hartal.
In Khagrachhari, at least 15 people were injured in clashes between hartal supporters and police and ruling party men in separate places.
Besides, police arrested six people while picketing in Kharachari sadar. They arrested 14 people during a drive at night.
In Jhenidah, at least 50 people were injured in clashes among police, ruling party men and BNP activists during the hartal hours in the town.
BCL district unit president Khairul Islam, BNP Sadar upazila unit president Kamal Azad Pannu, district Jubo Dal unit president Rawshan bin Kadar Miron, ex-UP chairman and BNP leader Mizanur Rahman, NTV cameraman Shajib and Bangladesh Protidin district correspondent Ruhul Amin were among the injured.
In Laxmipur, at least 15 people were injured in a clash between Chhatra Dal and BCL men at Raipur upazila in the district.
Witnesses said the Chhatra Dal activists were picketing in support of hartal at Rakhalia Bazar some 20-25 BCL men coming in a motorbike attacked them, triggering a clash that left 15 people injured.
Later, BCL men vandalised upazila BNP office and 12 shops. The injured were admitted to local clinics and Sadar hospital.
In Narayanganj, at least 10 BNP men were injured as police charged baton on them when they brought out a procession in support of the hartal at Siddhirganj.
Meanwhile, Tahsina Rushdir Luna, the wife of missing BNP leader Ilias Ali, on Monday renewed her demand to the government for the return her husband, saying that still she has no information about him.
Luna said members of the law-enforcing agencies want to know from her different things at different times.
Asked if there is any pressure on her from any quarter, Luna said there is no pressure on her and she does not care about any pressure. “I want my husband back.”
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