Law enforcers arrested dozens of opposition men and mobile courts jailed several persons on charges of attacking vehicles and disrupting public life on the last day yesterday of the 36-hour countrywide hartal called by the BNP-led opposition.
The nationwide hartal or general strike enforced by BNP and its key ally Jamaat-e-Islami to press for continuation of the constitutional provision of holding parliamentary elections under a caretaker government passed off without any major violence.
Both the parties yesterday simultaneously announced a two-day demonstration from tomorrow protesting arrest and punishment of party workers in summary trials by mobile courts, and demanding release of the arrested.
Demonstrations will be staged in the capital tomorrow and across the country the following day.
Announcing the BNP programme at a press briefing at its central office, acting Secretary General of the party Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir threatened to announce more agitation programmes.
He alleged that police arrested more than 100 party workers and leaders including lawmaker Harunur Rashid and former lawmaker Nazimuddin Alam, and mobile courts jailed at least 60 people in the capital yesterday.
However, the two lawmakers were released from Cantonment Police Station later at night, UNB adds.
Additional Deputy Commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police Masudur Rahman said they arrested seven persons, and mobile courts jailed four persons.
Their jail terms ranged from one month to one year.
The Jamaat programme was announced by acting Secretary General ATM Azharul Islam at a press briefing at the party central office at Moghbazar.
Meanwhile, the ruling Awami League has asked the main opposition BNP to refrain from taking up any more tough programmes like hartal for the sake of the national economy.
“Please give up calling hartal, come to parliament. We are ready to discuss with you [opposition] to resolve the caretaker government issue,” AL Joint Secretary General Mahbubul Alam Hanif said at a press briefing yesterday at the party president's political office at Dhanmondi.
But Fakhrul said, “First the government must cancel its decision to scrap the caretaker government system, and only then we can sit for talks.”
He claimed people spontaneously made the 36-hour hartal a success while Hanif claimed people rejected the opposition programme.
Recently, the Supreme Court voided the caretaker government system but suggested holding two more parliamentary polls under a non-partisan caretaker government.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina urged the opposition to return to parliament with its formula for caretaker government.
But Leader of the Opposition Khaleda Zia said there is no scope for discussion as continuation of the 13th amendment to the constitution (providing for caretaker system) is the only solution.
On the second day of the shutdown yesterday, CNG-run auto-rickshaws and private cars plied many streets. Other motorised vehicles started operating in most of the areas around noon.
Pickets set fire to three passenger buses at Joarshahara, Banani and Mirpur. A cocktail was exploded at Doyel Chattar that left three persons injured.
Shops, business establishments and educational institutions remained closed.
Law enforcement personnel were deployed at different strategic points.
The opposition men could not bring out processions due to the presence of a large number of police and Rab personnel on the main streets.
Like on Sunday, BNP leaders and activists, including Mirza Fakhrul gathered in front of the party's Naya Paltan central office, but they could not bring out any procession as police kept the office cordoned off.
Police arrested lawmaker Harunur Rashid and former lawmaker Nazimuddin at the gate of party office where they were sitting.
In the port city of Chittagong, the hartal hampered loading, unloading and movement of cargo to and from the port. Police picked up at least 21 opposition men from different points of the city.
In the capital, on behalf of the BNP chairperson and the party, Mirza Fakhrul thanked people for making the hartal a success.
Bitterly criticising the government for jailing opposition workers through mobile courts, he said it is absolutely a violation of law and human rights. “We will face it both legally and politically,” he added.
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It's our fight for existence :Khaleda Zia
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia has directed her party leaders to put in their best to make the party's anti-government agitation programme including hartal a success but asked them to avoid arrest tactfully.
"We have to fight against the government for a long time. Keep yourselves safe so you can carry on a long-term movement," party sources quoted Khaleda as saying at a closed-door meeting at her Gulshan office in the capital on Thursday night.
She gave a set of directives and suggestions before the party finalised its decision on a countrywide 36-hour hartal from today.
Khaleda shared her views about the anti-government movement with mid-level leaders including presidents and general secretaries of the party's front and associate bodies.
The leader of the opposition in parliament told them they do not need to take to the streets during the hartal as a large number of police and ruling party cadres will be there to resist the opposition programme. So, the government's action will be enough to make the hartal successful, she added.
Khaleda asked the leaders to organise party workers to boost the organisational strength, and avoid attack and arrest by law enforcers.
She also held her first meeting with leaders of the newly formed Dhaka city committee of BNP on Thursday night and made same suggestions.
"It's our fight for existence. There is no scope for compromise. So, get ready for a long-term movement," sources quoted Khaleda as saying at the meeting.
Party insiders said the chairperson decided to call hartal one after another if the caretaker government system is scrapped from the constitution. Even 48-hour and 72-hour-long hartal may be announced.
"Last hartal [on June 5] was successful as people's support was spontaneous and that proves people expect more hartals to protect the caretaker system," Khaleda said.
This government lost public support a long time ago, and the opposition has to capitalise on the situation by standing beside people, she added.
The general secretary of a front organisation of the main opposition BNP said, "Madam [Khaleda] seemed determined about the agitation. We were there (the meeting with her) for a short time but within that time she repeatedly referred to 1990s mass upsurge and asked us to prepare for such a movement."
Parties in the BNP-led opposition have already expressed support for the agitation aimed to build a mass upsurge against the ruling Awami League, said party sources.
"We have to fight against the government for a long time. Keep yourselves safe so you can carry on a long-term movement," party sources quoted Khaleda as saying at a closed-door meeting at her Gulshan office in the capital on Thursday night.
She gave a set of directives and suggestions before the party finalised its decision on a countrywide 36-hour hartal from today.
Khaleda shared her views about the anti-government movement with mid-level leaders including presidents and general secretaries of the party's front and associate bodies.
The leader of the opposition in parliament told them they do not need to take to the streets during the hartal as a large number of police and ruling party cadres will be there to resist the opposition programme. So, the government's action will be enough to make the hartal successful, she added.
Khaleda asked the leaders to organise party workers to boost the organisational strength, and avoid attack and arrest by law enforcers.
She also held her first meeting with leaders of the newly formed Dhaka city committee of BNP on Thursday night and made same suggestions.
"It's our fight for existence. There is no scope for compromise. So, get ready for a long-term movement," sources quoted Khaleda as saying at the meeting.
Party insiders said the chairperson decided to call hartal one after another if the caretaker government system is scrapped from the constitution. Even 48-hour and 72-hour-long hartal may be announced.
"Last hartal [on June 5] was successful as people's support was spontaneous and that proves people expect more hartals to protect the caretaker system," Khaleda said.
This government lost public support a long time ago, and the opposition has to capitalise on the situation by standing beside people, she added.
The general secretary of a front organisation of the main opposition BNP said, "Madam [Khaleda] seemed determined about the agitation. We were there (the meeting with her) for a short time but within that time she repeatedly referred to 1990s mass upsurge and asked us to prepare for such a movement."
Parties in the BNP-led opposition have already expressed support for the agitation aimed to build a mass upsurge against the ruling Awami League, said party sources.
Hartal aims for anarchy:Sheikh Hasina
The leader of the opposition is creating sufferings for the people by calling hartals, though she used to talk against it while in power, said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday.
Speaking to the Awami League (AL) leaders and the activists at Ganobhaban on the occasion of the day of her release from jail during the last caretaker government, she said the opposition party is trying to create anarchy in the name of hartal, reports BSS.
She urged the opposition to place in parliament if they have any proposal or formula regarding the caretaker government.
"We did not make any proposal to scrap the caretaker government system. The country's Supreme Court has declared the system illegal," the PM said.
She questioned why the opposition leader likes the caretaker government so much, though it had taken her to jail and banished her sons?
Referring the country's hard-earned democracy, the PM called upon all to remain vigilant so that none can snatch away the people's democratic rights in future.
UNB reports: Ruling AL has urged the opposition BNP to decide through dialogue over the system under which next parliamentary election will be held.
Addressing a press briefing at the AL president's Dhanmondi office yesterday, AL General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam said the system under which the next parliamentary polls would be held has to be settled on the basis of national consensus.
The doors are still open for BNP to take part in working out the issue of caretaker government, he added.
Ashraful also urged the opposition to come to parliament instead of enforcing “illogical” hartal. “Please come to parliament. This is the only place for holding discussions and placing your demands,” he said.
Replying to a question about BNP's demand to the government for withdrawal of cases against Khaleda Zia, the AL general secretary said the opposition leader should come to parliament to place this demand.
He, however, said that the cases which were not filed by the present government cannot be withdrawn. “Law will take its own course.”
The AL general secretary regretted that Khaleda Zia is saying no to everything - dialogue with the Election Commission and Electronic Voting.
Labeling the BNP-called hartals as unnecessary, Ashraful said the caretaker government system will not be cancelled on the basis of the report by the parliamentary special committee.
“The committee has only placed its report in parliament for discussion by the lawmakers. The report will be sent to the parliamentary standing committee on Law and Parliamentary Affairs Ministry. It may even be sent to the cabinet.”
The AL spokesperson said, “It will take a long time to enact law on the caretaker issue. But BNP has called hartals just after the primary process.”
He said the people do not support hartal.
“You can call hartal when you've no other way. But all the ways are open. Why are you causing sufferings to mass people through enforcing hartal?” Ashraful asked the opposition party.
Speaking to the Awami League (AL) leaders and the activists at Ganobhaban on the occasion of the day of her release from jail during the last caretaker government, she said the opposition party is trying to create anarchy in the name of hartal, reports BSS.
She urged the opposition to place in parliament if they have any proposal or formula regarding the caretaker government.
"We did not make any proposal to scrap the caretaker government system. The country's Supreme Court has declared the system illegal," the PM said.
She questioned why the opposition leader likes the caretaker government so much, though it had taken her to jail and banished her sons?
Referring the country's hard-earned democracy, the PM called upon all to remain vigilant so that none can snatch away the people's democratic rights in future.
UNB reports: Ruling AL has urged the opposition BNP to decide through dialogue over the system under which next parliamentary election will be held.
Addressing a press briefing at the AL president's Dhanmondi office yesterday, AL General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam said the system under which the next parliamentary polls would be held has to be settled on the basis of national consensus.
The doors are still open for BNP to take part in working out the issue of caretaker government, he added.
Ashraful also urged the opposition to come to parliament instead of enforcing “illogical” hartal. “Please come to parliament. This is the only place for holding discussions and placing your demands,” he said.
Replying to a question about BNP's demand to the government for withdrawal of cases against Khaleda Zia, the AL general secretary said the opposition leader should come to parliament to place this demand.
He, however, said that the cases which were not filed by the present government cannot be withdrawn. “Law will take its own course.”
The AL general secretary regretted that Khaleda Zia is saying no to everything - dialogue with the Election Commission and Electronic Voting.
Labeling the BNP-called hartals as unnecessary, Ashraful said the caretaker government system will not be cancelled on the basis of the report by the parliamentary special committee.
“The committee has only placed its report in parliament for discussion by the lawmakers. The report will be sent to the parliamentary standing committee on Law and Parliamentary Affairs Ministry. It may even be sent to the cabinet.”
The AL spokesperson said, “It will take a long time to enact law on the caretaker issue. But BNP has called hartals just after the primary process.”
He said the people do not support hartal.
“You can call hartal when you've no other way. But all the ways are open. Why are you causing sufferings to mass people through enforcing hartal?” Ashraful asked the opposition party.
Hafiz, Altaf picked up today
Police picked up 53 leaders and activists of BNP and its associated bodies, including Hafiz Uddin Ahmed and Altaf Hossain Chowdhury, in the capital and port city on the first day of the opposition-sponsored 36-hour countrywide hartal.
Meanwhile, pickets vandalised a human hauler in the city’s Shahjahanpur and torched two buses at Mirpur-13.
The law enforcers charged batons on photojournalists while they were covering events in front of BNP office at Naya Paltan, leaving four of them injured.
Twenty three were picked up in Dhaka and 30 in Chittagong.
The law enforcers held seven people, including a Jubo Dal leader of Cantonment unit, Omar Faruq, when he, along with the party activists, tried to bring out a procession at Mohakhali in the capital at about 9:15am.
Hearing the news, former home minister Altaf Hossain Chowdhury and BNP Vice-president Hafiz Uddin, who were inside a Mohakhali restaurant, went out and delivered speeches regarding the caretaker government system.
Police held the two BNP leaders and three others from near Mohakhali Flyover at about 10:00am.
They also picked up seven women activists of BNP from the spot.
Altaf and Hafiz were taken to Cantonment Police Station.
Deputy Commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (Gulshan Division) Khandaker Lutful Kabir, however, said police picked up only nine activists from Mohakhali area.
Our correspondent reported that pro-hartal activists exploded two cocktails in front of Jonaki Cinema Hall in Naya Paltan area in the morning.
Meanwhile, BNP leaders and activists could not enter its Naya Paltan office as the law enforcers almost cordoned off the office since the morning.
Police held Nur-e-Ara Safa, president of Jatiyatabadi Mahila Dal, from in front of the office at about 11:00am.
As photojournalists attempted to take photograph this time, police charged batons on them, injuring four of them.
The injured photojournalists are Manjurul Islam of Channel i, Mohsin of ATN Bangla, Shibli of Desh TV and Taposh of ntv (full names of all the injured not available immediately).
The photojournalists present there staged an impromptu sit-in programme protesting the police action.
Fire Brigade and Civil Defence sources said miscreants set fire to a staff bus of Krishi Bank at about 4:50am while another bus of My Line Paribahan at around 5:00am at Mirpur-13.
On information, firefighters rushed to the spot and put out the blaze.
Both the buses were parked on the road when those were torched, said sources.
Pickets at about 10:45am vandalised a human hauler, popularly known as Maxi, in Shahjahanpur area and fled the scene.
In Chittagong, police did not let leaders and activists of BNP and its associate organisations could not gather anywhere to enforce the hartal.
Police confined BNP activists at the Enayatbazar party office and four mobile courts are on duty to punish anyone caught in the act of vandalism or any kind of destructive activities, our correspondent in Chittagong reports.
Police picked up 23 people, including 14 women activists of BNP, from Bohaddarhat and Kazir Dewri area in the port city in the morning.
Seven others were picked from other points in the city.
Talking to The Daily Star, Amena Begum, DC (north) of police, confirmed the arrest of 30 in the city.
Our Bogra correspondent reports, a man was killed and four injured as a truck rammed a rickshaw-van after being chased by the pickets in the town at about 11:30am.
The injured were admitted to Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital.
Meanwhile, a mobile court fined four youths -- Sanjib Hossain, 18, Shajim, 18, Shahinur Rahman, 20, and Iqramul Haque, 20 -- Tk 500 each on charge of vandalising vehicles during the hartal hours.
In Chandpur, local Jamaat-e-Islami activists brought out a procession in the town. Law enforcers intercepted the procession when it reached JM Sengupta road at about 7:45am, triggering a chase and counter-chase between them.
At one stage, the pro-hartal activists pelted brick chips on the law enforcers, leaving five policemen of Chandpur Model Police Station injured.
BNP and its key ally Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami enforced the hartal demanding continuation of caretaker government system and protesting at the recommendations of the parliamentary special committee on constitutional amendment.
It is the longest hartal in duration since the Awami League-led grand alliance came to power. The opposition on June 5 enforced a dawn-to-dusk strike on the caretaker system issue.
Other two components of BNP-led alliance -- Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP) and Islami Oikya Jote (Aminee) -- will also observe the non-stop shutdown.
Meanwhile, pickets vandalised a human hauler in the city’s Shahjahanpur and torched two buses at Mirpur-13.
The law enforcers charged batons on photojournalists while they were covering events in front of BNP office at Naya Paltan, leaving four of them injured.
Twenty three were picked up in Dhaka and 30 in Chittagong.
The law enforcers held seven people, including a Jubo Dal leader of Cantonment unit, Omar Faruq, when he, along with the party activists, tried to bring out a procession at Mohakhali in the capital at about 9:15am.
Hearing the news, former home minister Altaf Hossain Chowdhury and BNP Vice-president Hafiz Uddin, who were inside a Mohakhali restaurant, went out and delivered speeches regarding the caretaker government system.
Police held the two BNP leaders and three others from near Mohakhali Flyover at about 10:00am.
They also picked up seven women activists of BNP from the spot.
Altaf and Hafiz were taken to Cantonment Police Station.
Deputy Commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (Gulshan Division) Khandaker Lutful Kabir, however, said police picked up only nine activists from Mohakhali area.
Our correspondent reported that pro-hartal activists exploded two cocktails in front of Jonaki Cinema Hall in Naya Paltan area in the morning.
Meanwhile, BNP leaders and activists could not enter its Naya Paltan office as the law enforcers almost cordoned off the office since the morning.
Police held Nur-e-Ara Safa, president of Jatiyatabadi Mahila Dal, from in front of the office at about 11:00am.
As photojournalists attempted to take photograph this time, police charged batons on them, injuring four of them.
The injured photojournalists are Manjurul Islam of Channel i, Mohsin of ATN Bangla, Shibli of Desh TV and Taposh of ntv (full names of all the injured not available immediately).
The photojournalists present there staged an impromptu sit-in programme protesting the police action.
Fire Brigade and Civil Defence sources said miscreants set fire to a staff bus of Krishi Bank at about 4:50am while another bus of My Line Paribahan at around 5:00am at Mirpur-13.
On information, firefighters rushed to the spot and put out the blaze.
Both the buses were parked on the road when those were torched, said sources.
Pickets at about 10:45am vandalised a human hauler, popularly known as Maxi, in Shahjahanpur area and fled the scene.
In Chittagong, police did not let leaders and activists of BNP and its associate organisations could not gather anywhere to enforce the hartal.
Police confined BNP activists at the Enayatbazar party office and four mobile courts are on duty to punish anyone caught in the act of vandalism or any kind of destructive activities, our correspondent in Chittagong reports.
Police picked up 23 people, including 14 women activists of BNP, from Bohaddarhat and Kazir Dewri area in the port city in the morning.
Seven others were picked from other points in the city.
Talking to The Daily Star, Amena Begum, DC (north) of police, confirmed the arrest of 30 in the city.
Our Bogra correspondent reports, a man was killed and four injured as a truck rammed a rickshaw-van after being chased by the pickets in the town at about 11:30am.
The injured were admitted to Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital.
Meanwhile, a mobile court fined four youths -- Sanjib Hossain, 18, Shajim, 18, Shahinur Rahman, 20, and Iqramul Haque, 20 -- Tk 500 each on charge of vandalising vehicles during the hartal hours.
In Chandpur, local Jamaat-e-Islami activists brought out a procession in the town. Law enforcers intercepted the procession when it reached JM Sengupta road at about 7:45am, triggering a chase and counter-chase between them.
At one stage, the pro-hartal activists pelted brick chips on the law enforcers, leaving five policemen of Chandpur Model Police Station injured.
BNP and its key ally Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami enforced the hartal demanding continuation of caretaker government system and protesting at the recommendations of the parliamentary special committee on constitutional amendment.
It is the longest hartal in duration since the Awami League-led grand alliance came to power. The opposition on June 5 enforced a dawn-to-dusk strike on the caretaker system issue.
Other two components of BNP-led alliance -- Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP) and Islami Oikya Jote (Aminee) -- will also observe the non-stop shutdown.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
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