A daylong hartal, enforced by the local unit of BNP protesting the ‘confinement’ of BNP chief Khaleda Zia and demanding the release of its all detained leaders and activists, is underway peacefully in the district on Saturday. No procession or picketing was seen in support of the hartal in the city while most of the business establishments kept their shutters down. Plying of motorised vehicles was normal on the city streets. No untoward incident was reported till filing of this report at 9:45 am. A large number of policemen remained deployed in the city to fend off any trouble. Amid the 20-party’s non-stop countrywide blockade programme, the local BNP unit on Friday called the daylong hartal in the district protesting the ‘confinement’ of BNP chief Khaleda Zia and demanding the release of its detained leaders and activists, city unit BNP general secretary Samsuzzaman Samu told UNB. — Rangpur, Jan 17 (UNB)
