Dhaka sees lax hartal
The first phase of 72-hour countrywide hartal, sponsored by Jamaat-e-Islami in protest of the death sentence of its chief Motiur Rahman Nizami for war crimes, is under way in a lax manner across the country.
Starting from 6:00am today, the shutdown will continue for 24 hours while the second phase will be observed from 6:00am Sunday to 6:00am Tuesday.
Jamaat announced the hartal on Wednesday hours after the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT)-1 sentenced death to Nizami for his crimes against humanity during the Liberation War in 1971.
The hartal appeared to have little impact on the daily business of city dwellers in Dhaka, however, the traffic appeared shallower than the usual days this morning.
Visiting different parts of the capital including Mirpur, Motijheel, Jatrabari and Gulshan, our correspondents found that large numbers of public transports plying the streets.
No long distance buses left the city's Gabtoli Bus Terminal or entered though other intercity vehicular movements were seen normal.
Besides, the train communication is still normal during the hartal.
Since the morning, train on several routes left the Kamalapur Railway Station as per schedule, said Abdul Mozid, officer-in-charge of the Railway Police Station.
In Mirpur, at least two cocktails were blasted in Pallabi area around 10:30am but no pro-hartal activists were seen on the streets.
Zia-uj-Zaman, officer-in-charge of Pallabi Police Station, told The Daily Star two minor boys blasted to cocktails around 10:30am and flee the spot immediately.
Except this, no untoward incident took place in the area, the OC added.
Additional forces from different law enforcement agencies including police, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) have been deployed across the country as well as in the capital to avert anarchy on the streets during hartal hours.
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