BNP, Jamaat’s nationwide hartal underway amid arson attacks

A countrywide dawn-to-dusk hartal called by BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami is progressing amid some incidents of violence.

The strike began by bus torching incident in the capital’s Mohammadpur area in the early hours.

Later, another three buses set on fire at Baitul Mukarram, Tanti Bazar and Mohammadpur areas.

Commuters have been suffering due to the thin presence of buses in the capital. Rickshaws and CNG-run auto-rickshaws are reigning the city streets. No private car was seen in the morning.

Law enforcement agencies are on alert position at important points of Dhaka.

No long-distant buses left or entered Dhaka since morning.

Railway Minister Nurul Islam Sujan confirmed that rail communication at Kamalapur Railway Station is being operated normally.

Till 11:30pm, BNP has not brought out any processions in support of the hartal anywhere in Dhaka. The party’s Nayaplatan office was cordoned off by police using crime scene tape.

Earlier, BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir announced the hartal after their grand rally at Nayapaltan was foiled by police attack.

Several people, policemen and journalists were injured.

Some leaders and activists of Jamaate-Islami brought our processions in some areas of the capital this morning.

The party called the strike from its Arambagh rally held on Saturday (October 28) amid police obstruction.

Meanwhile, activists of the ruling Awami League and its associate bodies, including Jubo League and Chhatra League, were seen on the streets with party banners alongside the law enforcers.