SM Mizanur Rahman :The first day of the indefinite blockade programme, called by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia for Tuesday passed off amid violence in some districts, disrupting the normal life and affecting economic activities and education across the country.BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia on Monday declared an indefinite countrywide blockade programme issuing threat that blockade would continue until they come up with a fresh decision.BNP joint general secretary Ruhul Kabir Rizvi who is undergoing treatment at a city hospital under police custody told over phone that an indefinite road-rail-waterway blockade got underway following Khaleda’s announcement.As the capital Dhaka remained virtually isolated from the rest of the country for fear of violent escalations since Sunday, the enforcement of indefinite blockade programme further intensified sufferings of the people and affected normal life throughout the country.The intending Ijtema devotees are facing the worst problem due to suspension of all long distance bus and coach service by the owners fearing attacks. The first-phase Bishwa Ijtema, the second largest Muslim congregation in the world, will be held on January 9-11 while the second one on January 16-18.Pro-blockade activists brought out processions in different places of the country including capital Dhaka. The violence took places at capital Dhaka, Ashulia in Savar, Rajshahi, Chapai Nawabganj, Noakhali and Narayanganj, while a number of vehicles were either torched or vandalised in various other places. Vandalism and torching of vehicles, clashes between blockaders and police and ruling party men and arrest of pro-blockade activists, explosion of crude bombs were also reported from different districts in the country. At least 50 people including 10 cops were injured during the violence in the country. All modes of vehicles were seen plying the city streets during the blockade programme. No long-route buses, however, left Mohakhali, Saidabad and Gabtoli terminals since Sunday morning fearing vandalism. But the train communication remained normal.Besides, different establishments, including shopping malls, markets, government and non-government offices and courts, remained open during the blockade hours.Members of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and police force were deployed at different city points to beef up security at different places including capital Dhaka The paramilitary force members started patrolling different strategic points of the city alongside members of other law enforcement agencies, said sources at the BGB headquarters.The BNP-led 20-party alliance was observing the dawn-to-dusk hartals in Chittagong, Natore, and Chapainawabganj districts in protesting against the killings and police action. In capital Dhaka, at least three persons and an Ansar member received burn injuries when the pickets tried to set ablaze tempo which was carrying the members of law enforcing agencies on Fatullah-Postogola road near Lal-Masjid in Kadamtoli area in the city yesterday morning.According to witnesses and police, the incident occurred as a tempo carrying the Ansar member was moving ahead the picketers tried waylaid the vehicle and launched arson attack on it at about around 5:15 pm. All the four including member of Ansar received serious burn injuries. Besides, pro-blockade activists set fire on two buses and a private car in city’s RAJUK and Tanti Bazar area. However, none was hurt in the incident. Witnesses and police said a group of pro-blockade activists set fire on a BRTC bus parked in front of the RAJUK Bhaban. Another private car was also parked near the BRTC bus caught fire.Talking to The New Nation Morshed Alam, officer-in-charge of Paltan police station said they could not arrest anyone in this connection.In Shahbagh area, a gang of unidentified miscreants set fire on a passenger bus named Shikor Paribahan leaving two passengers and driver injured at about 3.45 pm.Witnesses said when the bus stopped at Shahbagh crossing, the gang launched arson attack on its back. Seeing fire the panic stricken passengers got down from the bus but some received injury. In Azimpur, activists of Islami Chhatra Shibr took out a procession, staged demonstration, ransacked autorickshaw and exploded crude bombs. Being informed police rushed to the spot and chased the Shibir activists. The miscreants also set a fire passenger buses at Mirpur and Mohakhali area. In Dilkusa, miscreants set fire on a passenger bus in front of Hockey stadium. However, none was hurt in the incident. In another incident, a gang of miscreants launched arson attack on a bus at Tanti Bazar to create panic in the area.Apart from these, a gang of unidentified youths ransacked about six auto vehicles and exploded several crackers before the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate court in Old Dhaka around 11:45am.In Rajshahi, pro-blockade activists beat up three cops with bricks and rifle butt on their heads in the city on the first day of non-stop countrywide blockade yesterday morning.The injured constables were identified as Shafiqul Islam, Amzad Hossain, Abdul Quddus and Jamal Uddin. Of them Shafiqul Islam and Amzad Hossain were rushed to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital in a critical condition. Witnesses said a group of activists of Islami Chhatra Shibir snatched away arms from the cops near a brick field at Sapura in the city and started beating them up with the firearm’s butt.Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) men who were roaming during the time chased the activists of Shibir. Being chased, the Shibir activists fled the scene exploding crude bombs. In another incident, the local administration imposed Section 144 in Baneshwar area of Puthia upazila for an indefinite period from Tuesday morning, following the killing of a BNP activist in a clash with police in the area on Monday. On Monday afternoon, Mazid Uddin, 45, an activist of Solua union unit BNP in Charghat upazila, was killed as police opened fire on a procession of the BNP-led 20-party alliance in Baneshwar in Puthia upazila. In Noakhali, activists of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal and Islami Chhatra Shibir carried out bomb attack at a Bangladesh Chhatra League’s meeting at Senbagh in the district at about 5 pm leaving at least 30 injured including four cops.Marking the 67th founding anniversary when a BCL programme was progressing at Sher-E-Bangla High School playground, the activists of JCD and Shibir launched a sudden attack hurling at least 30 bombs. They also attacked on them with weapons and stabbed the BCL activists indiscriminately. In Narayanganj, a clash between police and leaders and workers BNP left at least 10 people including its district unit president Taimur Alam Khandaker injured, According to witnesses, when leaders and workers of BNP, led by Taimur Alam Khandaker in a procession from Khanpur in the city was passing by the Chashara area at about 7 am, police barred them. Being intercepted as the BNP men tried to take to the streets and started throwing stones, police swooped on them and started clubbing indiscriminately. During the clash, police also fired several rounds of blank shots to disperse the agitating activists. In Ashulia, pro-blockade activists set fire on a passenger bus and ransacked several vehicles in Sreepur Bus Stand area yesterday morning.According to witnesses, a group of youth poured petrol on the bus and set ablaze to it at Sreepur Bus Stand area around 6am in support of blockade and vandalized some vehicles. In Chapai Nawabganj, miscreants hurled petrol bombs targeting two trucks on Chapai-Sona Mosque highway near Muslimpur area in the district yesterday morning. When the trucks were going to Sona Mosque from Chapai Nawabganj area, a gang of miscreants from the inside of a roadside bush threw petrol bombs targeting the truck. The trucks caught fire and were damaged badly. In Chandpur, Alak Chakravarty, 40, a Hindu priest received injuries in an attack by some pickets at Ghosherhat in sadar upazila on Monday night, died on way to Dhaka for better treatment on Tuesday.Alak Chakravarty sustained serious injuries as pickets hurled some brickbats at a CNG-run auto-rickshaw carrying him while he was returning home on Chandpur-Comilla highway at Ghoshertek in sadar upazila around 9 pm on Monday.In Gaibandha, pro-blockade activists took control over the Rangpur-Dhaka highway at Palashbari under Maheshpur upazila and started ransacking running vehicles. Being informed police rushed to the spot and lobbed several rounds of tear shells to disperse the agitators.
