At least four persons were killed and more than 100 injured across the country on Monday during a daylong hartal called by the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami.
The party, however, has called a fresh dawn-to-dusk hartal for Tuesday, in protest of the verdict in the case against Ghhulam Azam. Acting Ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami Maulana Rafiqul Islam Khan announced the programme through a press release on Monday.
The Jamaat leader termed the verdict “prejudiced and unjust”, saying that the state had failed to prove the charges against Ghulam Azam and his involvement in the crimes against humanity during the Liberation War in 1971.
Ambulances, hospitals, pharmacies and vehicles carrying journalists have been kept out of the purview of hartal. Two conflicting versions are available on the death of Abdul Aziz, an Awami League (AL) leader and one of the four dead on Monday, at Debhata in Satkhira from the police and local AL sources. The law enforcers said Aziz was killed by Jamaat-Shibir activists, while AL upazila secretary Moniruzzaman maintained that he had died over a family feud.
Besides, two Shibir activists, Al Muqit Tarun (22) and Sabuj Ahmed (18), were beaten to death by a mob in Mirpur upazila of Kustia. Nurul Islam (42), a Jamaat activist, died in a clash between the police and Jamaat-Shibir activists in Shibganj upazila of Chapainawabganj on Monday.
Our Kustia Correspondent reports that some Shibir activists, including Al Muqit Tarun and Sabuj Ahmed and Saddam Hossain Farid, tried to block a road in the early hours of Monday. Local Jamaat leaders claimed local AL cadres had beaten the two Shibir workers to death. But AL leaders said that local residents had attacked the Shibir activists, taking them to be robbers in the dark.
Three badly injured persons were immediately taken to Kustia General Hospital, but Al Muqit and Sabuj were declared dead by doctors. The third injured person is receiving treatment at the hospital.
Nurul Islam was killed in a clash between the police and Jamaat-Shibir activists at Mohodipur under Shibganj upazila on Monday afternoon. Four other persons were injured in the incident.
Shibganj upazila nirbahi officer Khondoker Farhad Ahmed said a mobile team from Shibganj reached Mohodipur at around 1 pm and was resisted by Jamaat-Shibir men. “Law enforcers tried to disperse the Jamaat-Shibir men. A clash ensued, leaving injured Maj. Mizanur Rahman of BGB and the UNO. The police fired teargas shells and about 30 rounds of bullets to disperse the activists,” he added.
He also confirmed the death of a Jamaat man in the clash.
Violent activities were reported in the city and elsewhere in the country during Monday’s hartal. Pro-hartal activists vandalised about 100 motor vehicles, torched three human haulers and exploded more than 40 crude bombs in different parts of the country during the hartal.
In the capital, at least 22 people, including five to six journalists and two policemen, were injured in separate clashes between hartal supporters and the police in Demra and Dhalpur areas. Jamaat-Shibir activists exploded at least 15 crude bombs in Demra, Rayerbagh and Dhalpur of Jatrabari in the morning. They also torched three human haulers in Shajahanpur and Muktijoddha Sangsad Market area in Mirpur.
Some pro-hartal activists vandalised at least five vehicles in the city’s Rayerbagh area in the morning. At about 6.30 am, they made a fire on a nearby rail line in Doyaganj area. Later, the police extinguished the flames.
At about 7 am, picketers snatched a pistol from a police officer in Nodda under Bhatara police station.
Vehicular movement was almost normal in the city. But most shops, including shopping malls, remained closed to avert any untoward situation.
A large number of police and RAB personnel were deployed at different strategic points.
In Rajshahi, at least five persons, including two journalists, were injured in a clash among activists of Shibir, Chhatra League and police at Dorikhorbona Greater Road area around 2 pm.
Soon after the announcement of the Ghulam Azam verdict, the Shibir activists brought out a whirlwind procession at Greater Road area and exploded several crude bombs. They were chased away by local Awami League and Chhatra League activists. Shibir workers hurled three bombs to the Chhatra League activists, injuring five persons, including Sarker Dulal Mahbub, staff reporter of a local daily.
Police rushed to the spot and dispersed the Shibir attackers by firing rubber bullets, teargas canisters and sound grenades. Four suspected Shibir attackers were picked up from the spot.
Some pro-hartal activists burned tyres and blocked the Rajshahi bypass road at Khorkhori point at around 5 am. They were later dispersed by the police.
Police also thwarted the attempts of a group of Shibir members to burn tyres and bring out processions at Kajla gate area of Rajshahi University at 5-30 am.
In Chittagong, Shibir activists exploded handmade bombs at Access Road of Agrabad at about 9 am. A pedestrian was seriously injured in the incident.
Akbar Shah Police Station officer-in-charge Abdur Razzak said Jamaat-Shibir activists set fire on a Leguna and a truck in the morning.
Some Shibir activists also set fire on a truck at Ponthicila at Sitakunda in the early hours of Monday.
In Bogra, harrtal supporters vandalised at least 50 vehicle at Erulia and Mahasthan in Sadar upazila and in Shahjahanpur upazila during the strike. Police arrested four Jammat activists from Sewajgari area in the town.
Sources said a group of Jamaat-Shibir activists had brought out a procession in Sewajgari area at 5.15 am. On receiving the news, a police team rushed to the area. The pro-hartal activists exploded three crude bombs, which triggering a clash. The police lobbed teargas shells and fired at least 23 rounds of rubber bullets to disperse the procession. Four people were arrested in this connection.
Gulbahar Begum, duty officer of Shadar Police Station, declined to divulge the names of the arrested persons.
In Comilla, pro-hartal activists brought out separate processions in the city and other parts of the district. They blocked different roads by burning tyres and placing bricks in Naogaon Chaumuhuni area of the city in the morning. Police fired 20 rounds of rubber bullets to disperse the hartal supporters. In retaliation, the activists also exploded 10 crude bombs.
Picketers torched a motorcycle and injured two police informers during the clash.
Police also fired six rounds of rubber bullet and arrested six people on charge of picketing at Yusufpur Road area of Debidwar upazila during the strike. Incidents of violence during the shutdown were also reported from Satkhira and Natore districts.
In Barisal, the daylong shutdown did not have much impact. Jamaat activists threw brickbats at a police van this morning at C&B road area. Police charged baton and fired three rounds of bullets to bring the situation under control. Six activists were picked up from the spot. The law enforcers also rounded two more Jamaat activists from fire bridge area of the city.
Some picketers set fire on a passenger bus at Madhop Pasa area in the morning and blocked the Barisal-Banaripra road for an hour. Police later rushed to the spot and cleared the road.
In Khulna, the countrywide general strike did not have much impact as well.
Reports of stray incidents of violence from from different cities and districts, including Sylhet, Dinajpur Naryanganj, Sirajganj, Tangail, Mymensingh and Cox’s Bazar came to The Independent.
-With The Independent input