Stray violence marks Rajshahi, Chapainawabganj hartal

Stick-wielding pro-hartal activists block a road in Upar Rajarampur area of Chapainawabganj town setting fire to a tyre. Photo: STAR

The daylong hartal enforced by Islami Chhatra Shibir passed in Chapainawabganj and Rajshahi districts amid stray incidents on Monday.

Shibir, student wing of Jamaat-e-Islami, on Sunday called the hartal (shutdown) in the districts demanding release of its leader Anwarul Islam Masum who, Shibir claimed, was picked up by Rapid Action Battalion members from his residence at Darikharbona in the city on April 4.

Rab however denied detaining Masum, office secretary of Shibir city unit.

After calling the hartal Sunday, Mostafizur Rahman, Shibir publicity secretary of the unit, sent e-mails to local journalists to convey the decision.

In Chapainawabganj town, Shibir activists clashed with police at Upar Rajarampur area around 7:30am.

The clash ensued when the pro-hartal processionists hurled brick chips at law enforcers, said Rahmat Ali Sardar of Sadar Police Station.

Police fired at least eight rounds of bullets from shotgun to disperse the activists, equipped with bamboo sticks, reports our Chapainawabganj correspondent.

A picket was picked up from the spot.

The pro-hartal activists staged a demonstration and burned tyres on Chapainawabganj-Rajshahi highway and Chapainawabganj-Sonamasjid Land Port highway in the morning.

In Rajshahi town, pro-hartal activists torched a tyre after pouring petrol on the road in Binodpur area in the morning, said Ziaur Rahman, officer-in-charge (OC) of Boalia Police Station.

Miscreants also blasted a cocktail in the area, reports our Rajshahi correspondent.

On Sunday night, police arrested six activists of Jamaat-Shbir for “trying to creating chaos”, said ASI Taposhi Rani Pramanik, duty officer of sadar police station.

In the evening that day, Shibir men torched a passenger bus at Toll Plaza area of Mohananda Bridge in town at around 7:30am.