Capital almost cut off from country
No launches left or arrived at Barisal Launch Terminal yesterday as pro-government transport owners and workers associations suspended services on waterways since morning fearing attacks on the eve of hartal and a long march programme today. Photo: Focus Bangla
Dhaka was practically cut off from the rest of the country since yesterday morning as most road and waterways transport workers suspended services “apprehending political violence” on the eve of hartal and a long march programme today.
Even Bangladesh Railway, which had a train made to derail recently, suspended several train services yesterday fearing attacks and sabotage.
Radical Islamist group Hefajat-e Islam had declared the Dhaka long march for today demanding punishment of some bloggers for “defaming” Islam and Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).
The long march is to culminate with a daylong rally at Shapla Chatter in the capital today.
Meanwhile, 23 pro-liberation organisations declared a 24-hour countrywide hartal from 6:00pm yesterday to resist the long march.
Gonojagoron Mancha had also called for a 22-hour transport blockade from 6:00pm yesterday to resist Hefajat's long march.
Gonojagoron Mancha is a platform of youths which demands death penalty for all war criminals of the Liberation War. It was formed in February and is led by bloggers and online activists. It had been on the receiving end of propaganda that the bloggers were atheists and out to defame Islam and Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).
Transport workers and owners feared that their vehicles and vessels could be vandalised on the eve of what appeared to be an impending conflict. Pro-ruling party transport owners and workers suspended their services on most of the routes leading to Dhaka yesterday morning.
Fearing attack on trains and sabotage, Bangladesh Railway yesterday evening cancelled around 10 trains that were supposed to head for Dhaka today from railway stations in Noakhali, Chittagong, Sylhet, Jamalpur, Rajshahi, Rangpur, Saidpur, Dinajpur, Netrakona and Brahmanbaria.
The trains were supposed to leave for Dhaka between 10:00pm yesterday and 7:30am today.
Long-distance bus services on most routes from Dhaka also remained suspended. Most of the bus counters at the capital's three major terminals were seen closed. The terminals were deserted and people who went there had to return frustrated.
Mizanur Rahman, who came to Dhaka from Saidpur looking for a job, said "I have to get back to Saidpur as my son is seriously ill. I have been waiting here in Gabtoli for two hours but found no buses heading for Saidpur."
Launch owners associations decided to suspend services between the capital and southern districts from yesterday evening. However, only a handful of launches reached Dhaka yesterday morning.
Even the ferry service on Mawa-Kewrakandi route, which connects Dhaka with 21 other south-western districts, was stopped from yesterday morning.
A number of people needing to get to Dhaka urgently were stuck in places.
"After starting from Madaripur for Dhaka, I came to know at the ferry terminals that the ferry service has been suspended. There are neither any launches nor any speedboats to get across the Padma. What should I do now?" said mechanic Masud Hossain at Kewrakandi.
Our Barisal correspondent reports: Pro-government transport owners and workers associations suspended services on road and waterways since yesterday morning fearing attacks.
Bus service to Dhaka from Sylhet was suspended since yesterday morning, reports our Sylhet correspondent.
Hefajat, a Chittagong-based Islamist group, called the long march apparently to gear up the ongoing campaign against the Shahbagh movement spearheaded by bloggers demanding capital punishment for war criminals and a ban on Jamaat.
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