Cities witness relaxed Jamaat hartal

AL holds anti-shutdown rally in Khulna

The countrywide dawn-to-dusk shut-down called by the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami protesting the Supreme Court (SC) verdict that upheld the death penalty of war times criminal Jamaat leader Ali Ahsan Muhammad Mojahid in the premier port city witnessed a peaceful hartal. The public transports were not seen on the city streets as usual. Hardly any private transports seen on the streets. However, the numbers of public transports were increased with the progress of the day. Police and witnesses said that that no picketing and procession were seen by the supporters during the shutdown. No untoward incident in the city or district was reported. However, in fear of possible sabotages activists by shutdown supports 10 platoons of BGB were deployed in the district and more four platoons in the city and additional police were deployed in the city. In Dhaka-Chittagong highway Mirshari upazila Sadar, Sitakunda sadar, Kumnira, Fatickchhari, Raozan, Rangunia and Banskhali a total of 11 platoons were deployed to avoid any kind of possible sabotage in the highway and Fatickchhari, Raozan, Rangunia upazila.
Meanwhile, District police in separate drives arrested 68 people including six Jamaat-Shibir activists from different upazilas of the districts on Wednesday night to early yesterday. Naimul Hasan, additional superintend of police (Special Branch) of Chittagong District said no untoward incidents was reported in the district.   
Devdas Bhattacharjya, additional police commissioner (Crime and operation), Chittagong Metropolitan (CMP) told The Independent “No untoward incidents was seen in the city.  No procession or picketing was seen in support of the blockade in the cities also. To control law and orders additional police were deployed in the strategic points of the city.”
BSS adds from Khulna: Khulna Awami League held anti- hartal rally and brought out procession in the city yesterday in protest against the countrywide dawn-to-dusk hartal called by Jamaat-e-Islami, reports BSS.
The anti- hartal procession led by city AL general secretary Mizanur Rahman
Mizan, MP, began from the party office at around 11 am and paraded through different streets in the city. Later, a rally was held in front of the party office. AL leaders Kazi Enayet Hossain, Md. Babul Rana, Adv Razab Ali, Shaymol Singha Roy, Mahbub Alam Sohag among others addressed the rally.
The leaders urged the government to execute the death sentence to Salahuddin Kader Chowdhury and Ali Ahsan Muzaheed immediately and banned Jamaat-e-Islami for its anti- Liberation activities during 1971. Hartal was not observed in Khulna city and district  yesterday.
Educational Institutions, business establishments, bank, insurance, and markets were remained open and vehicles were as usual on the roads in the city.
All intercity buses, trains and launches departed from the city in the morning yesterday.
Our Barisal correspondent adds: The day long strike called by Jammat -e -Islam was observe loosely in Barisal yesterday without hampering daily life.
Big show rooms, shopping centres, markets were partly closed and financial institutions were functioned closing front doors. Transactions in financial institutions, market, attendances in educational institutions, judicial, administrative offices were few than normal days in Barisal. Police patrolled the city roads. No procession was brought out from anywhere of the city in support of hartal. Jamaat activists tried to bring out procession in Tiyakhali area but failed due to police. Road transports on long routes also operated with less number of passengers, Aftab Hossain, president of bus owners association and city Sramik League said. Abu Syed, assistant commissioner and spokesman of Barisal Metropolitan Police, said none was arrested and no case was lodged in connection of strike. RAJSHAHI correspondent adds: The hartal passed off peacefully in Rajshahi.  
Due to huge presence of police and security personnel, pro-hartal picketers failed to take out any processions during the hartal hours in the city. Police and Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) were patrolling the city streets from early in the morning and none of picketers dared to face retaliation from security personnel by taking out any procession or creating a chaotic situation.  There was an uninterrupted movement of autos, motor bikes, rickskaws, auto-rickshaws and tempoos.

Cities witness relaxed Jamaat hartal

AL holds anti-shutdown rally in Khulna

The countrywide dawn-to-dusk shut-down called by the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami protesting the Supreme Court (SC) verdict that upheld the death penalty of war times criminal Jamaat leader Ali Ahsan Muhammad Mojahid in the premier port city witnessed a peaceful hartal. The public transports were not seen on the city streets as usual. Hardly any private transports seen on the streets. However, the numbers of public transports were increased with the progress of the day. Police and witnesses said that that no picketing and procession were seen by the supporters during the shutdown. No untoward incident in the city or district was reported. However, in fear of possible sabotages activists by shutdown supports 10 platoons of BGB were deployed in the district and more four platoons in the city and additional police were deployed in the city. In Dhaka-Chittagong highway Mirshari upazila Sadar, Sitakunda sadar, Kumnira, Fatickchhari, Raozan, Rangunia and Banskhali a total of 11 platoons were deployed to avoid any kind of possible sabotage in the highway and Fatickchhari, Raozan, Rangunia upazila. Meanwhile, District police in separate drives arrested 68 people including six Jamaat-Shibir activists from different upazilas of the districts on Wednesday night to early yesterday. Naimul Hasan, additional superintend of police (Special Branch) of Chittagong District said no untoward incidents was reported in the district. Devdas Bhattacharjya, additional police commissioner (Crime and operation), Chittagong Metropolitan (CMP) told The Independent No untoward incidents was seen in the city. No procession or picketing was seen in support of the blockade in the cities also. To control law and orders additional police were deployed in the strategic points of the city. BSS adds from Khulna: Khulna Awami League held anti- hartal rally and brought out procession in the city yesterday in protest against the countrywide dawn-to-dusk hartal called by Jamaat-e-Islami, reports BSS. The anti- hartal procession led by city AL general secretary Mizanur Rahman Mizan, MP, began from the party office at around 11 am and paraded through different streets in the city. Later, a rally was held in front of the party office. AL leaders Kazi Enayet Hossain, Md. Babul Rana, Adv Razab Ali, Shaymol Singha Roy, Mahbub Alam Sohag among others addressed the rally. The leaders urged the government to execute the death sentence to Salahuddin Kader Chowdhury and Ali Ahsan Muzaheed immediately and banned Jamaat-e-Islami for its anti- Liberation activities during 1971. Hartal was not observed in Khulna city and district yesterday. Educational Institutions, business establishments, bank, insurance, and markets were remained open and vehicles were as usual on the roads in the city. All intercity buses, trains and launches departed from the city in the morning yesterday. Our Barisal correspondent adds: The day long strike called by Jammat -e -Islam was observe loosely in Barisal yesterday without hampering daily life. Big show rooms, shopping centres, markets were partly closed and financial institutions were functioned closing front doors. Transactions in financial institutions, market, attendances in educational institutions, judicial, administrative offices were few than normal days in Barisal. Police patrolled the city roads. No procession was brought out from anywhere of the city in support of hartal. Jamaat activists tried to bring out procession in Tiyakhali area but failed due to police. Road transports on long routes also operated with less number of passengers, Aftab Hossain, president of bus owners association and city Sramik League said. Abu Syed, assistant commissioner and spokesman of Barisal Metropolitan Police, said none was arrested and no case was lodged in connection of strike. RAJSHAHI correspondent adds: The hartal passed off peacefully in Rajshahi. Due to huge presence of police and security personnel, pro-hartal picketers failed to take out any processions during the hartal hours in the city. Police and Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) were patrolling the city streets from early in the morning and none of picketers dared to face retaliation from security personnel by taking out any procession or creating a chaotic situation. There was an uninterrupted movement of autos, motor bikes, rickskaws, auto-rickshaws and tempoos.