Pickets halt train for 1hr in Chandpur

Few vehicles are seen in this aerial view at Shahbagh intersection in Dhaka on Sunday's office rush hours during eight-hour hartal (shutdown) enforced by Islami Chhatra Sena across the country. The roads at the intersection usually remain too busy in other working days. Photo: STAR/Palash Khan

Pickets halted a train for an hour in Chandpur during the eight-hour hartal (shutdown) enforced by Islami Chhatra Sena across the country today.

Chhatra Sena, student wing of Bangladesh Islami Front, observed the strike from 6:00am to 2:00pm demanding immediate arrest and punishment of the killers of Maulana Nurul Islam Faruqui, the chief Imam of Supreme Court Mosque.

The leaders and activists blocked Dhaka-Chittagong highway in Sitakunda upazila of Chittagong for around 20 minutes to observe the hartal.

They brought out several processions in support of their hartal across the country in the morning.

Office going people wait for vehicles on Kazi Nazrul Islam Avenue in capital's Farmgate area, which used to be a busy neighbourhood in working days, during eight-hour shutdown called by Islami Chhatra Sena on Sunday. Photo: STAR/SAM Jahan

Vehicular movements in Dhaka were almost normal. Most of the long-distance buses were seen parked at the terminals.

A huge number of law enforcers were deployed in the capital to maintain law and order during the hartal.

Unidentified assailants slit the throat of Faruqi, a presidium member of the Islami Front and a presenter of Islamic programmes in two private television channels at his East Rajabazar house in Dhaka on Wednesday night.

CHANDPUR

The hartal supporters blocked the rail lines at Chitoshi rail station in Shahrasti upazila around 7:00am and halted Chittagong-bound Meghna Intercity Express Train for an hour.

Tapan Kumar Mitra, stationmaster of Chitoshi station, said the train left Chandpur station with 2,000 passengers around 5:00am.

On information, police rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control, said Superintendent of Chandpur police Amir Zafar.

CHITTAGONG

Around 100 pickets blocked the Dhaka-Chittagong highway at Bhatiari point in Sitakunda by setting several tyres on fire at about 7:00am.

They removed the blockade after 15 to 20 minutes, Jakir Hossain, officer-in-charge (OC) of the Baro Aulia Highway Police Station told The Daily Star.

Meanwhile, the leaders and activists of Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Sena and Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat brought out processions at different parts in the town this morning. 

Traders kept shutters of most of their business establishments down in fear of vandalism or arson attack by the pickets.

Jakir Hossain told The Daily Star that no long-route buses were seen left or entered the divisional town during the eight-hour hartal.

Local and inter-district bus services were also stayed off the roads, the OC said.

Besides, Yasin Farroque, OC of Chittagong Railway Police Station, said trains on different routes left the station on time.