Rajshahi, Rangpur hartals underway peacefully
Hartals (shutdown) were sponsored in Rajshahi and Rangpur cities today under separate causes. Both hartals were underway peacefully last reported.
Rajshahi University unit of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) called the hartal in city demanding prompt identification and arrest of the "real" killers of slain teacher Professor AKM Shafiul Islam.
Rangpur City Corporation (RCC) mayor and the city's Shop Owners Association jointly called the hartal in their city protesting deterioration of law and order and demanding arrest of the killers of Awami League leader Imran Hossain.
RAJSHAHI
Leaders and activists of the Rajshahi University and city units of JCD brought out separate processions in Binodpur area and Alakarmore intersection this morning.
Long route buses or trucks were suspended. Lighter vehicles such as rickshaws were plying the city. Most of the shops were shuttered down till filing of this report around 10:00am.
Most of the educational institutions were seen closed due to the hartal, reports our Rajshahi correspondent.
Earlier on Saturday, Imtiaz Ahmed, RU unit JCD president, announced the hartal, to be effective from 6:00am to 6:00pm, from a rally at Bhubon Mohon Park in city.
Sociology department teacher Prof Shafiul, 48, was hacked to death by unidentified assailants in front of his house adjacent to RU campus on November 15.
Initially, police claimed that militants and Jamaat-e-Islami and Islami Chhatra Shibir killed the professor due to his adoration for philosopher Lalon. However, Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) said it was act of Jubo Dal and Chhatra Dal men over personal grudge.
Law enforcers have so far arrested 17 people, including six Jubo Dal and Chhatra Dal men and eight Jamaat-Shibir men, and remanded 12 of them over the killing.
RANGPUR
All shops remained closed and no internal and long-route bus left or entered from the city during the 6:00am-2:00pm hartal, reports our Rangpur correspondent. But a few rickshaws and auto-rickshaws were plying.
Md Abdul Qader Jilani, officer-in-charge Rangpur Kotwali Police Station, said no wanted situation was reported since 10:00am.
Earlier on Saturday, RCC Mayor Sharfuddin Ahmed Jhantu and Rejaul Islam Milon, general secretary of the association, jointly announced hartal during a protest rally at Satmatha intersection in the city.
However, the legality of the mayor calling hartal was questioned. Deputy Commissioner of Rangpur Farid Ahmed told The Daily Start on Saturday that as mayor he could not call hartal, but as a political leader he could.
Imran, 35, joint secretary of Ward-30 AL and a shop owners' leader, was known as a close associate of Mayor Jhantu, also an AL leader. He was stabbed to death by unidentified criminals on November 10.
This correspondent called the mayor at least twice for his comments, but he never responded.
RCC Information Officer Ador Rahman said that in the last 5-6 months, around 6-7 murders occurred in the city, which the mayor called deterioration of the law and order situation.
Comments