Slack hartal across the country

Only rickshaws are seen plying Satmatha intersection in Bogra town during countrywide 24-hour hartal (shutdown) enforced by Jamaat-e-Islami Thursday demanding release of its leader Delawar Hossain Sayedee. Photo: STAR

The 24-hour countrywide hartal enforced by Jamaat-e-Islami demanding release of their leader Delawar Hossain Sayedee is progressing across the country in a relaxed way.

Appalled by the Supreme Court verdict that sentenced war criminal Sayedee to imprisonment until death, Jamaat called two 24-hour hartals for today and Sunday.

In Dhaka, police detained two pickets from Mirpur area when they were trying to bring out a procession on the Chiriakhana road at Rainkhola in favour of hartal around 7:00am, said Syed Asaduzzaman, a sub-inspector of Mirpur Police Station.

A news agency, UNB reports that Jamaat-Shibir activists brought out a procession at Shyamoli and Mohakhali rail crossing in the morning but were dispersed by police.

Vehicles except private cars are plying the city streets as the normal days.

Besides, the activists of Jamaat and its student wing, Islami Chhatra Shibir, staged demonstrations at different districts during the hartal.

NARAYANGANJ

The Shibir men vandalised at least seven vehicles in the city.

Narayanganj police said Shibir activists brought out a stick procession from Golachipa area in the town in support of their hartal.

They blocked Bangabandhu Road around 8:30am and vandalised at least seven vehicles, reports our Narayanganj correspondent.

A chase and counter-chase took place when police charged baton to disperse the unruly activists.

Police picked up an attacker from the scene.

RAJSHAHI

Police fired blank shots to disperse hartal supporters when latter, equipped with sticks, tried to bring out a procession at Dingaduba in the city around 7:00am, said Tanvir Haider, deputy commissioner (headquarters) of Rajshahi Metropolitan Police.  

None was reported hurt, said our Rajshahi correspondent.

The pickets staged demonstration setting fire to tyres in different areas of the city including Sapura BSCIC industrial area, Badurtala, Sagarpara, Dingaduba and Kathakhali. 

Small vehicles are seen plying the city streets as usual. But inter-district bus services remain suspended due to the strike.

BOGRA

Jamaat and Shibir men brought out a procession in Kaloni and Khandar areas of the town this morning and torched tyres on the roads.

A truck fell into a road side ditch as its driver lost control over the steering while trying to escape an attack by hartal supporters on Bogra-Naogaon highway in Erulia area. The driver, however, remained unhurt.

Besides, police in several drives arrested eight Jamaat-Shibir men suspecting that they might carry out subversive activities during today’s hartal. 

KURIGRAM

Police also arrested five Jamaat-Shibir men last night ahead of the hartal, reports our Kurigram correspondent.