More arson, more arrests
Incidents of arson, explosion, police shooting and arrests marked yesterday's nationwide hartal, enforced by the BNP-led alliance alongside its ongoing blockade.
Eight people were injured after alleged pickets hurled a homemade bomb at a mini bus at Tiger Pass area in Chittagong around 12:00am. After the explosion, the driver lost control of the vehicle which then hit a road divider, said Mohiuddin Selim, officer-in-charge of Kotwali Police Station.
The injured were taken to Chittagong Medical College Hospital, and three of them were admitted to the hospital's burn unit.
Meanwhile, criminals set fire to six vehicles, while at least 61 BNP-Jamaat and Shibir activists were arrested from across the country in connection with arson attacks and subversive activities, police and fire service officials said.
Hartal supporters set ablaze a human haulier in front of Ranimahal Cinema Hall at Demra in the city around 6:00am, fire service officials said. None was reported hurt in the incident.
Masud Islam, 17, a college student, received bullet injuries when police shot him as he was reportedly trying to flee after blasting homemade bombs on Dhanmondi Road 6 around 4:00pm.
In Pallabi, a man named Chinu Biswas was injured in police shooting. Police said BNP-Jamaat activists hurled brick chunks at police from a demonstration on Kalshi Road in Mirpur around 1:30pm, prompting law enforcers to shoot, police said.
Chinu, however, said he was walking by the road and was not involved in the attack on police.
Three bombs were exploded from a Jamaat-Shibir rally at Malibagh around 1:00pm, and a mob beat up a youth named Mamun on suspicion of exploding the bombs. Later, they handed Mamun over to police.
All of them are receiving treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
In Comilla, a clash between law enforcers and locals left seven cops injured at Bhelanagar in Daudkandi around 8:00pm. Police went to the village to arrest Jasimuddin Mollah, an accused in an arson case.
The clash ensued after locals prevented the cops from taking Mollah away, said Abu Salam Mia, officer-in-charge of Daudkandi Police Station.
In Rajshahi, a local Jubo League leader and two other ruling party men were injured as armed cadres of Islami Chhatra Shibir, pro-Jamaat student body, attacked them at Binodpur Bazar in the city Tuesday night.
Mehedi Hasan Yamin, president of ward 30 unit of Jubo League, was shot in the left leg while Ishtiak Ahmed Isa and Iftekar Hossain Saddam were hacked with sharp weapons during the assault. The victims were admitted to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital, said Iftekhair Alam, assistant commissioner of Rajshahi Metropolitan Police.
In Narayanganj, locals caught two criminals and handed them over to police as they hurled petrol bombs at the police box at Haziganj in the city around 6:00am. The duo were identified as Amin and Habib. None was injured in the incident, police said.
Alleged hartal supporters threw stones at an Army vehicle at Pachurmor in Joypurhat around 10:30am yesterday, but there was no damage, police said.
In Feni, ruling party activists caught Shahadat Hossain, a BNP activist, along with 16 crude bombs at Mohammad Ali Bazar on the Dhaka-Chittagong highway and handed him over to police on Tuesday night.
In Dinajpur, police arrested Mohammad Sakib, a Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal activist, for exploding two bombs on Thana road on Tuesday night.
Meanwhile, police arrested 37 people, including three Jamaat-Shibir activists, in Satkhira; a Jamaat leader in Cox's Bazar; 18 BNP-Jamaat and Shibir activists in Bogra, and two Jamaat leaders in Moulvibazar in connection with subversive activities.
Our correspondents from the districts concerned contributed to the report.
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