Opposition activists went on the rampage across the country on Monday
evening immediately after the announcement of the schedule for the 10th
parliamentary elections, attacking law enforcers, torching vehicles,
blasting bombs and blocking highways leaving two killed in Dhaka and
Comilla.
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party-led opposition alliance announced a
48-hour countywide road-rail-waterway blockade beginning 6:00am today
and ending at 6:00am Thursday in protest at the announcement of the
polls schedule.
The BNP rejected the election schedule announced by chief election
commissioner Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad, saying that the opposition’s
movement had scaled new heights following ‘unilateral’ start of the
process of a ‘farcical election’.
Acting BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir at a news
conference Monday night said blockade was the primary step of the scaled
up movement and urged all to join the agitation accepting
inconveniences.
Rickshaw-puller Ujjal, 36, died at Pragati Sarani of Badda after a bus
hit his rickshaw while attempting to escape a bomb attack, Badda police
said.
An unidentified youth died in Comilla Medical College Hospital after
being injured in clashes between the police and opposition activists at
Kandirpar of the town.
Kotwali police officer-in-charge Mohiuddin Mahmud said the youth had
sustained injuries in the head in a bomb explosion and died after being
taken to hospital. The local unit of Chhatra Dal claimed the deceased
was their activist but failed to give his identity.
Road links between Dhaka and many parts of the country were disrupted as
opposition activists put blockades on highways at Natore, Meherpur,
Chuadanga, Gazipur,
Cox’s Bazar, Comilla, Feni and Sitakunda ahead of the 48-hour blockade of road and railway announced by the 18-party alliance.
Violence continued amid heightened security measures in the capital and
deployment of paramilitary border guards in major cities and towns on
Monday evening.
Dhaka witnessed explosion of crude bombs since sundown and at least 20
vehicles were torched at Abdullahpur, Uttara, Gabtali, Mirpur, Bangla
Motor, Khilgaon Chowdhury Para and Demra.
A police car was torched in front of Farmgate police box around 9:15pm.
The activists set fire to two vehicles and vandalised five others at
Banglabazar in Old Dhaka. Eight vehicles were set on fire at
Bibirbagicha of Demra.
A photojournalist of online news portal banglanews24.com Jahid Saimon
was injured when crude bombs went off close to him at Mohakhali
crossing. A driver of Desh Television Abdul Malek was injured after two
bombs were hurled at a police van in front of BNP office at Naya Paltan.
At least 12 crude bombs exploded on Badda Link Road around 8:00pm.
Eight crude bombs went off on the Dhaka University campus when the
activists of Chhatra League were marching in a jubilant procession
hailing the announcement of the election schedule.
Around 10:45pm crude bombs went off in front of the house of CEC Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad at Baridhara.
Activists of Islami Chhatra Shibir attacked a procession of Chhatra League at Khilgaon around 8:00pm.
In Rajshahi, at least 50 people, including policemen, were injured as
Jamaat-Shibir men attacked a police outpost at Malopara in the city.
They also hurled crude bombs at the local election office and torched a bus.
In Debhata of Satkhira, Jamaat-Shibir men attacked a police outpost at
Garanbari. The police fired in the air to disperse them. Jamaat claimed
that at least 20 activists were injured in the police firing.
At least 50 people were injured in Habiganj town as Jamaat-Shibir men clashed with police.
Reports from Sylhet said the opposition activists began rampaging
through the city as soon as the CEC began his address to the nation. The
protesters damaged more than one hundred shops and business
establishments.
They also attacked the district Jatiya Party office at Dhopadighir Paar
in the city, sending pedestrians and commuters to run for cover.
The correspondent in Lalmonirhat said the BNP men had blocked
Lalmonirhat- Kurigram and Rangpur-Kurigram roads at Burir Bazar point
putting logs across the road triggering tailback.
Police were not seen in the areas as a large number of BNP men carrying
sticks and sharp weapons roamed about the roads. Pickets also set fire
to the local office of Jatiya Party and to a Dhaka-bound bus at Mission
crossing in the town.
The motorcade of Chapainawabganj sector commander of Border Guard
Bangladesh also came under attack in the town. Two crude bombs were
hurled at the motorcade.
Activists of Awami League and BNP clashed in Bogra town and least 20
crude bombs went off in Nawab Bari area. The local BNP has called a
daylong shutdown for Tuesday in Gabtali upazila in protest against the
announcement of the election schedule.
Activists of Jamaat-Shibir vandalised vehicles at Keranihat of Satkania blocking Chittagong-Cox’s Bazar highway.
Cox’s Bazar town was rocked by repeated blasts. At least 12 bombs were
exploded at Burmese market in Teknaf. Police fired in the air to scare
away protesters.
Bombs were blasted and vehicles vandalised at Hazirhat Bazar of Kamalganj in Laxmipur.
The opposition activists vandalised at least 50 vehicles at Sreepur of Gazipur disrupting traffic on Dhaka-Mymensingh highway.
Around 20 BNP supporters were injured after they clashed with police in Barguna town in the night.
Frequent explosion of crude bombs rocked Brahmanbaria town where
opposition activists also threw stones at government offices. They also
hurled a crude bomb at the Dhaka-Akhaura shuttle train. (source)