Cities experience lacklustre hartal

The countrywide 24-hour hartal, enforced by Bangladesh Jammat-e-Islami protesting the verdict of the Supreme Court (SC) that upheld the death penalty of war crime criminal Jammat leader Ali Ahsan Muhammad Mujahid in the premier port city, witnessed a very poor response as civic life was normal.
Police and witnesses said that that no picketing and procession were seen by the supporters during the shutdown.
However, in fear of possible sabotages activists by shutdown supporters 11 platoons of BGB were deployed in the district and four more platoons in the city and additional police were deployed during shutdown.
A total of 11 platoons were deployed on Dhaka-Chittagong highway, Mirsarai upazila Sadar, Sitakunda sadar, Kumnira and Banskhali upazila to avoid any kind of possible sabotage.
Meanwhile, district police in separate drives arrested 82 people, including four Jamaat-Shibir activists, from different upazilas of the districts on Tuesday night.
Naimul Hasan, additional superintend of police (Special Branch) of Chittagong District said no untoward incidents was seen in the district.   
A good number of public transports as well as private vehicles were seen plying the city streets while the public buses and heavy vehicles on the long distance routes plied during the shutdown.
Mentionable no subversive incidents were reported on the Dhaka-Chittagong Highway.
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.”
Though academic activities in the educational institutions were seen very poor, the educational institution remained close during the shutdown.
Chittagong Export Processing Zone (CEPZ) authority sources said that operational activities inside the CEPZ went on in full-swing and attendance of the workers was almost normal.
Chittagong Railway station sources said no disruption to rail communication was reported due to sabotages by hartal supporters. Besides, the hartal did not affect the domestic and international flights at Chittagong Shah Amanat International Airport, Bangladesh Biman sources said.
Operational activities, including loading and unloading of cargoes at ships inside the port and outer anchorage went on in full-swing, demanded Chittagong Port Authority.
Our Correspondent adds from RAJSHAHI: The dawn-to-dusk shutdown passed off peacefully without any incidents in the city yesterday.
Due to huge presence of police and security personnel, pro-hartal picketers failed to take to the street for a long time during the hartal hours.
Assistant Commissioner Ifte Khayer Alam, Spokesman of RMP, informed police arrested at least 24 leaders and activists of Jamaat-Shibir from various areas of the city on early night of hartal.
However; there was an uninterrupted movement of autos, motor bikes, rickskaws, auto-rickshaws and tempoos through the city streets despite hartal. Most of the city shops were also open.
Movements of local and intercity trains were normal at Rajshahi railway station. Meanwhile, several hundred leaders and activists of Awami League, Rajshahi city unit led by Dablu Sarker, Secretary of Rajshahi city Awami League took out a procession in the city rejecting hartal.
The procession started from in front of Kumarpara party office in the city which paraded various city streets of Shaheb Bazaar Zero Point and Monichattar Intersection.
At the end of the procession, a way side meeting was also held at in front of party office which was addressed by Awami League leaders and activists.
Staff reporter adds from Khulna: Hartal call did not affect normal life of the people of Khulna as all types of vehicles like rickshaws, van, baby-taxies and battery driven auto-rickshaws and easy-bikes plied the streets normally yesterday. There were no picketing anywhere in the city during shutdown.
Long route passenger buses, trains and launches left Khulna and entered the city. Trucks and covered van, private cars were seen plying to and from the city.
People were seen going to workplaces with government and non-government offices operating normally. The production of all jute mills and other factories in Khalishpur and Daulatpur industrial belt and Khulna Ship Yard was not hampered due to general strike.
Meanwhile, Awami League (AL) led 14-party grand alliance, Khulna unit and its front organisations brought out an anti-hartal procession from party office chanting provocative slogans against BNP-Jamaat alliance.
Security had been beefed up in the city during the hartal and over 2,000 cops were deployed to avert untoward incident, said Additional KMP Commissioner Md Mahbub Hakim. Meanwhile, RAB and BGB members also set up check posts in different point in the city during the general strike, KMP sources said.

 

Cities experience lacklustre hartal

The countrywide 24-hour hartal, enforced by Bangladesh Jammat-e-Islami protesting the verdict of the Supreme Court (SC) that upheld the death penalty of war crime criminal Jammat leader Ali Ahsan Muhammad Mujahid in the premier port city, witnessed a very poor response as civic life was normal. Police and witnesses said that that no picketing and procession were seen by the supporters during the shutdown. However, in fear of possible sabotages activists by shutdown supporters 11 platoons of BGB were deployed in the district and four more platoons in the city and additional police were deployed during shutdown. A total of 11 platoons were deployed on Dhaka-Chittagong highway, Mirsarai upazila Sadar, Sitakunda sadar, Kumnira and Banskhali upazila to avoid any kind of possible sabotage. Meanwhile, district police in separate drives arrested 82 people, including four Jamaat-Shibir activists, from different upazilas of the districts on Tuesday night. Naimul Hasan, additional superintend of police (Special Branch) of Chittagong District said no untoward incidents was seen in the district. A good number of public transports as well as private vehicles were seen plying the city streets while the public buses and heavy vehicles on the long distance routes plied during the shutdown. Mentionable no subversive incidents were reported on the Dhaka-Chittagong Highway. 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. Though academic activities in the educational institutions were seen very poor, the educational institution remained close during the shutdown. Chittagong Export Processing Zone (CEPZ) authority sources said that operational activities inside the CEPZ went on in full-swing and attendance of the workers was almost normal. Chittagong Railway station sources said no disruption to rail communication was reported due to sabotages by hartal supporters. Besides, the hartal did not affect the domestic and international flights at Chittagong Shah Amanat International Airport, Bangladesh Biman sources said. Operational activities, including loading and unloading of cargoes at ships inside the port and outer anchorage went on in full-swing, demanded Chittagong Port Authority. Our Correspondent adds from RAJSHAHI: The dawn-to-dusk shutdown passed off peacefully without any incidents in the city yesterday. Due to huge presence of police and security personnel, pro-hartal picketers failed to take to the street for a long time during the hartal hours. Assistant Commissioner Ifte Khayer Alam, Spokesman of RMP, informed police arrested at least 24 leaders and activists of Jamaat-Shibir from various areas of the city on early night of hartal. However; there was an uninterrupted movement of autos, motor bikes, rickskaws, auto-rickshaws and tempoos through the city streets despite hartal. Most of the city shops were also open. Movements of local and intercity trains were normal at Rajshahi railway station. Meanwhile, several hundred leaders and activists of Awami League, Rajshahi city unit led by Dablu Sarker, Secretary of Rajshahi city Awami League took out a procession in the city rejecting hartal. The procession started from in front of Kumarpara party office in the city which paraded various city streets of Shaheb Bazaar Zero Point and Monichattar Intersection. At the end of the procession, a way side meeting was also held at in front of party office which was addressed by Awami League leaders and activists. Staff reporter adds from Khulna: Hartal call did not affect normal life of the people of Khulna as all types of vehicles like rickshaws, van, baby-taxies and battery driven auto-rickshaws and easy-bikes plied the streets normally yesterday. There were no picketing anywhere in the city during shutdown. Long route passenger buses, trains and launches left Khulna and entered the city. Trucks and covered van, private cars were seen plying to and from the city. People were seen going to workplaces with government and non-government offices operating normally. The production of all jute mills and other factories in Khalishpur and Daulatpur industrial belt and Khulna Ship Yard was not hampered due to general strike. Meanwhile, Awami League (AL) led 14-party grand alliance, Khulna unit and its front organisations brought out an anti-hartal procession from party office chanting provocative slogans against BNP-Jamaat alliance. Security had been beefed up in the city during the hartal and over 2,000 cops were deployed to avert untoward incident, said Additional KMP Commissioner Md Mahbub Hakim. Meanwhile, RAB and BGB members also set up check posts in different point in the city during the general strike, KMP sources said.