SM Mizanur Rahman :The countrywide indefinite transport blockade along with frequent hartal calls, enforced by the BNP-led 20-party alliance, entered the 60th day on Thursday. Incidents of violence like torching vehicles, hurling crude and petrol bombs, railway sabotage and arrest of pickets have reported from different parts of the country, including the capital, during the period.In the political violence, at least 116 people were killed in the last two months and about 1,904 vehicles either torched or ransacked. Besides, according to FBCCI, the country incurred a loss of Taka 1.62 lakh crore during the period due to indefinite blockade and hartal. Petrol bomb attack on passenger buses and goods-laden trucks continued across the country on Thursday, the last day of another phase of the 120-hour nationwide hartal, called by the 20-party alliance.At least 12 people, including three women, sustained serious burn injuries when the pro-hartal and blockade supporters hurled petrol bomb on a passenger bus at Sultanpur in Kishoreganj Sadar district on Wednesday night.The victims were identified as Abdul Malek, 35, Zaheda, 40, Dipu Roy, 23, Motaleb, 38, Purnima Roy, 15, Usha Roy, 17, Biplob Pal, 30, Nimai Roy, 30, Bikash Modok, 25, Protap Chandra Ranjan, 26, and Mahfuzur Rahman.Mir Mosharraf Hossain, Officer-in-Charge, Kishorganj Sadr police station, told The New Nation that a passenger bus belonging to Shah Sultan Paribahan, came under petrol bomb attack when it was crossing the Sultanpur area at about 11.45 pm on Wednesday. “Carrying around 35 passengers when the bus reached near Sultanpur, the pro-hartal and blockade supporters hurled petrol bomb on it. At least 12 passengers received burn injuries,” the OC said.The condition of Abdul Malek and Zaheda is stated to be critical, he said, adding none was arrested in this connection. Besides, the miscreants hurled petrol bombs targeting goods-laden trucks in Manikganj and Lalmonirhat on Thursday leaving at least four people injured.In Manikganj, Habibullah, Officer-in-Charge of Saturia Police Station of the district, said when a Dhamrai bound wood-laden truck from Manikganj was passing through Golora of Saturia on Dhaka-Aricha highway, the hartal and blockade supporters launched petrol bomb attack on it at 3.45am on Thursday. “The front side of the truck caught fire and skidded off the roadside ditch. The truck driver Iqbal Hossain, 35, helper Suman Miah, 20, and another person identified as trader Abul Kalam received serious burn injuries,” the OC said.He added all the victims have been admitted to the burn unit of Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH). “As the driver tried to escape the attack, he lost control over the steering and the truck fell into a roadside ditch,” Habibullah said, adding the firefighting units rushed to the spot and put out the blaze.In Lalmonirhat, Maminul Haque, 42, a truck driver sustained burn injuries as blockade and hartal supporters hurled petrol bomb on a truck in Patgram upazila on Thursday. Rezaul Karim, Officer-in-Charge of Patgram Police Station, said the pro-hartal and blockade supporters launched petrol bomb attack on a truck when it was passing through Jummarpar on the Lalmonirhat-Burimari highway in the early hours of Thursday leaving its driver injured. “We have arrested Rabiul Islam, 35, Shah Alam, 25, Samiul, 28 and Bappi, 22, for their alleged involvement in the petrol bomb attack from the spot,” the OC said.Of the 116 victims in the last two months, some 65 people were killed in petrol bomb and arson attacks while 51 in crossfire, mass beating, clashes and other incidents relating to violence. Some 350 people sustained burn injuries were admitted to burn unit of DMCH and other hospitals in the country. About 1,904 vehicles, including passenger buses and goods laden trucks, were either torched or ransacked.Meanwhile, Selim Reza, a truck driver, who received burn injuries in a petrol bomb attack in Gomostapur Madrasa area in Chapai Nawabganj district on Wednesday night, died at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital on Thursday evening.According to locals, carrying potatoes, Selim along with trader Saheb Ali and helper Firoz when reached the Gomostapur Madrasa area, the pro-hartal and blockade supporters hurled petrol bomb leaving them serious injured. People sufferings mounted as the blockade entered two months yesterday. Thousands of people got stranded in capital Dhaka and elsewhere as the no long-route luxurious bus and coach are leaving their respective terminals since January 5 fearing vandalism. According to the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industries (FBCCI), country’s economy incurred loss Taka 1.62 lakh crore in the last two moths due to indefinite blockade and hartal. The country’s economy is incurring a loss of estimated Taka 2700 crore every day due to the indefinite blockade and hartal, the FBCCI said. According to police headquarters, over 15,000 hartal and blockade supporters were arrested in the last two months for their alleged involvement in arson and petrol bomb attacks. Some 1,400 cases were filed in this connection. The countrywide non-stop transport blockade saw its deadliest on January 14 as five people were burnt alive in a petrol bomb attack in Rangpur and the city’s Jatrabari area on January 25. Vehicular movement in the capital was as usual as blockaders were hardly seen on the streets in the morning. A large number of law enforcers remained deployed in different parts of the capital to fend off any trouble.Except Jamaat-Shibir, the leaders and workers of BNP were not found on the city streets in favour of their ongoing programme. However, the leaders and workers of BNP were seen outside the capital Dhaka. BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia called the indefinite blockade from January 6 as the government did not allow her party and its allies to hold protest rallies in the capital on January 5.
