A daylong hartal called by the local BNP-led 19-party alliance protesting the killing of a BNP activist in a bomb explosion while placing wreath at Shaheed Minar on Shibganj Upazila Parishad premises is progressing peacefully in the district today (Thursday).
No picketing by the party activists was seen anywhere in the district as of filing this report at 10:00am.
However, no long-route buses left the district town.
Vehicular movement was less than normal on the town roads.
Owners of the roadside shops kept their shutters down during the strike.
A large number of policemen and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) personnel remained deployed in the district to fend off any trouble.
The shutdown was announced through a press release signed by district BNP president Shahjahan Miah on Wednesday.
Shibganj upazila unit BNP activist Asaduzzaman Sujan,23, son of Ashraful Alam Babu of Sibganj municipality area, was killed and three others were injured as a crude bomb went off while they were placing a wreath at Shaheed Minar in Shibganj upazila of the district early Wednesday.
Police and witnesses said two crude bombs blasted when local people were placing wreaths at the Shaheed Minar in the early hours on Wednesday marking the 44th Independence and National Day, leaving four people injured.
Among the injured, Sujan died at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital around 3:00 am.
Nurul, Toufiq and Bashar were admitted to the upazila health complex.
Superintendent of Police Bashir Ahmed said the bombs were blasted following an altercation between some AL and BNP men at the Shaheed Minar. – UNB, Dhaka
