‘BNP-Jamaat men’ torch 2 trucks in Moulvibazar

Activists of BNP and its key ally Jamaat-e-Islami allegedly torched two trucks in Moulvibazar Sadar upazila today, on the third day of the 72-hour countrywide hartal (shutdown).

They set ablaze the vehicles in Kamalpur Bazar area around 6:05am, but none was hurt during the sabotage, said Abdus Salek, officer-in-charge of Moulvibazar Sadar Police Station.

Police are yet to arrest anyone in this connection as the BNP and Jamaat men fled the scene soon after the incident, the OC said.

On information, a firefighting unit rushed to the spot and doused the flame. A case was filed in this regard.

In Dhaka, police picked up at least 16 BNP, Jamaat and Shibir men from different parts of Dhaka on charges of plotting subversive activities in 24 hours till 9:00am today, according to a text message sent by Dhaka Metropolitan Police.

But no incident of violence was reported from anywhere in the country till filing the report around 11:30am.

The alliance enforced the hartal from 6:00am on Sunday protesting “repression” on its leaders and activists and also demanding fresh parliamentary polls under a neutral government.

The hartal will continue till 6:00am on Wednesday.

Due to hartal, SSC and its equivalent exams have been rescheduled several times.

Apart from education, the economy is bleeding profusely. The country’s top chambers estimate business has incurred a loss of Tk 2,277 crore a day since the blockade started on January 6.