BNP’s 24-hour hartal begins with covered vans torch

After 24-hurs blockade on Wednesday, the main opposition BNP is observing its 24-hour hartal on Thursday.

The strike began with an arson attack on two covered vans on Dhaka-Mymensingh highway at Bhogra Bypass intersection in Gazipur at an early hours.

Abdus Samad, senior station master of Joydebpur Fire Service, said miscreants waylaid the covered vans and threw petrol bombs on those and, later, fled away exploding cocktails early in the morning.

Receiving information, a fire-fighting unit rushed to the spot and extinguished the blaze after half an hour.

Both the covered vans were carrying goods of readymade garment factories.

A total of 161 platoons of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) have been deployed across the country to maintain law and order.

Of the total 161 platoons, 21 of the platoons have been deployed in Dhaka and adjoining districts to avert any untoward incident, said sources at BGB headquarters.