The first day of the Opposition 18-Party alliance's 60-hour nationwide shutdown was marked by countrywide clashes, vandalism, bomb explosions and arson.
Although it was relatively peaceful in Dhaka on Sunday, five people were killed in clashes in Faridpur, Jessore, Pabna, Bogra and Pirojpur during the general strike.
Two of them were BNP supporters, three were activists of Awami League’s youth affiliate Juba League and one was an activist of Jamaat-e-Islami.
Strikers clashed with supporters of the ruling party and police in different districts like Chandpur, Satkhira, Cox's Bazar, Feni, Gaibandha, Jhenaidah, Kishoreganj and Natore. The pitched battles left over 100 injured, including many policemen.
Jamaat activists slashed the tendons of a Juba League supporter's hands at Duttaparha bazaar in Natore Sadar.
Two trains were vandalised and set on fire in Joypurhat. Stones hurled by the strikers left at least 50 passengers of those trains injured.
A storage room at Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate’s Court building in the capital was gutted, leaving many case documents destroyed. Police suspected strikers for the fire.
Police also recovered gunpowder and 17 handmade bombs on Sunday from a staff quarter meant for Dhaka University third and fourth class employees at the capital’s Azimpur.
A striker was injured while trying to throw a homemade bomb at Kakrail earlier in the day. He was admitted at Dhaka Medical College and Hospital under police custody.
Homemade bombs also exploded near the Election Commission, Parliament building and BNP headquarters at Naya Paltan.
Supporters of Awami League and its affiliates were also on the streets taking out processions in a bid to resist ‘violence and sabotage’ in different areas of Bangladesh including the capital, Dhaka.
BNP's acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir told a press briefing that the shutdown was in full force across the country while 'government agents' were carrying out bomb attacks to thwart the Opposition's movement.
He told reporters on Sunday, "Strike withdrawal is not an option. We believe that strike is not an obstacle to talks."
He said that the talks may take place after 6pm on Tuesday or on Wednesday.
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia told a rally on Friday that the 60-hour strike from 6am Sunday to 6pm Tuesday would start if Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina failed to launch a dialogue on the issue.
Two of them were BNP supporters, three were activists of Awami League’s youth affiliate Juba League and one was an activist of Jamaat-e-Islami.
Strikers clashed with supporters of the ruling party and police in different districts like Chandpur, Satkhira, Cox's Bazar, Feni, Gaibandha, Jhenaidah, Kishoreganj and Natore. The pitched battles left over 100 injured, including many policemen.
Jamaat activists slashed the tendons of a Juba League supporter's hands at Duttaparha bazaar in Natore Sadar.
Two trains were vandalised and set on fire in Joypurhat. Stones hurled by the strikers left at least 50 passengers of those trains injured.
A storage room at Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate’s Court building in the capital was gutted, leaving many case documents destroyed. Police suspected strikers for the fire.
Police also recovered gunpowder and 17 handmade bombs on Sunday from a staff quarter meant for Dhaka University third and fourth class employees at the capital’s Azimpur.
A striker was injured while trying to throw a homemade bomb at Kakrail earlier in the day. He was admitted at Dhaka Medical College and Hospital under police custody.
Homemade bombs also exploded near the Election Commission, Parliament building and BNP headquarters at Naya Paltan.
Supporters of Awami League and its affiliates were also on the streets taking out processions in a bid to resist ‘violence and sabotage’ in different areas of Bangladesh including the capital, Dhaka.
BNP's acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir told a press briefing that the shutdown was in full force across the country while 'government agents' were carrying out bomb attacks to thwart the Opposition's movement.
He told reporters on Sunday, "Strike withdrawal is not an option. We believe that strike is not an obstacle to talks."
He said that the talks may take place after 6pm on Tuesday or on Wednesday.
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia told a rally on Friday that the 60-hour strike from 6am Sunday to 6pm Tuesday would start if Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina failed to launch a dialogue on the issue.
Hasina called Khaleda over phone on Saturday evening inviting her for a dialogue over dinner at Ganabhaban on Monday and urged her to withdraw the shutdown.Criticising the BNP move, Awami League Joint General Secretary Mahbub-Ul-Alam Hanif on Sunday told reporters that Khaleda had 'betrayed' the nation by going ahead with the shutdown.
Dhaka during strike
Police and RAB personnel were deployed on every road in the capital since morning.
Yet, strikers carried out sabotage and took out surprise processions in Jatrabarhi, Mirpur, Tejgaon, Azimpur and many other areas in the city.
Darus Salam Police Station Sub-Inspector Shahidur Rahman said two double-deckers had been set on fire in front of Gabtali bus terminal.
Around the same time, A Pabna Paribahan bus was burnt at Mipur Beribandh area. Handmade bombs had been detonated in front of Sony Cinema Hall, witnesses said.
Fire Brigade Control Room official Nilofar Yasmin said one bus each had been set afire in front of Ashulia, Tongi’s Hossain Market area, Jatrabarhi’s Donia area and Dakkhin Keraniganj Police Station and five in Lalbagh Beribandh area. An autorickshaw had been set alight near Tongi Fire Service Station.
On information, fire fighters doused the flames.
Mirpur Police Station OC Salauddin Khan said they had arrested 12 pickets at 6am when they detonating cocktails, vandalising vehicles and hurling stones at the stadium at around 6:30am.
Among the arrestees were BNP youth affiliate Juba Dal activists and Jamaat-e-Islami student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir activists, he said.
Mirpur Model Police Station Sub-Inspector Rezaul Karim said they had arrested seven Jamaat and Shibir activists from a surprise procession at Proshika roundabout at around 6am.
Jatrabarhi Police Station Duty Officer Ruhul Amin said miscreants had hurled petrol bombs at the Ward No 48 office of the Awami League in Bibirbarhi area and it set off fire there.
But it was not required to call in firemen as local people were able to douse it, he said.
Lalbagh Police Station OC Nurul Mottakin said they had chased and dispersed a group of shutdown supporters who were trying to take out a procession after detonating a crude bomb in front of Azimpur Sadra Mosque.
Jamaat and Shibir activists detonated three bombs beside the wall of Moghbazar Jame Mosque at around 11:30am, sometime after Ramna Awami League had taken out a procession protesting against the shutdown and took position at Moghbazar crossing.
Bailey Road Awami League President Kamal Hossain said, “Jamaa, Shibir leaders and activists have caused the explosions at the mosque.”
At around 11:15am, two more improvised bombs exploded near Muslims Sweets Shop at Moghbazar, when people started running helter-skelter.
At that time, Ramna Awami League leaders caught and beat up a person and turned him in to police.
Sher-e-Bangla Police Station OC Abdul Momin said five handmade bombs had exploded back-to-back at Manik Mia Avenue on the west of NAM Bhaban adjoining the Jatiya Sangsad Complex at around 12 noon.
Witnesses said some motorcycle riders had blasted a crude bomb in front of the Election Commission at around 1:30pm.
Two bombs exploded at around 2pm on the Sheltech Apartment lane on the opposite of the BNP's Naya Paltan headquarters.
Meanwhile, long-route buses had been grounded at the Gabtoli, Sayedabad and Mohakhali terminals since morning. But train services ran without any disruption, said Bangladesh Railway officials.
Traffic was thin all day long while rickshaws and auto-rickshaws dominated the streets of Dhaka.
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