Blockade continues amid sporadic incidents

The countrywide indefinite transport blockade, enforced by the BNP-led 20-party alliance, is progressing amid stray incidents of violence in different parts of the country, including the capital, reports UNB.

Long-route bus movement remained halted in most places of the country Thursday, the third day of the blockade but launch and train services were almost normal.

In the capital, a bus of 'Rab Rab Paribahan' was set ablaze at Banasree at around 11:15 am. Vehicular movement in the city was also normal as blockaders were hardly seen on the streets.

Train services with Dhaka and other districts were also almost normal.

A large number of law enforcers were seen deployed in different parts of the capital to fend off any untoward incident.

Sporadic incidents of vandalism and arrest were reported from across the country.

In Joypurhat, rail communications on the Khulna-Rajshahi and Rajshahi-Dhaka routes remained snapped from early Thursday as blockaders removed fishplates of the railway tracks in Sadar upazila during the countrywide indefinite transport blockade.

In Moulvibazar, at least 50 people were injured as six compartments and the engine of a Chittagong-bound train 'Udayan Express' from Sylhet derailed in Kulaura upazila around 3:10 after blockaders removed fishplates from the rail tracks.

In Sylhet, the blockade, alongside a daylong hartal, enforced by the local unit of BNP protesting the confinement of the party chairperson Khaleda Zia and the arrest of its acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, passed off peacefully in the city.

No procession or picketing was seen in support of either of the two agitation programmes in the city while most of the business establishments kept their shutters down.

Rickshaws and battery-run three-wheelers were dominating the city streets while presence of automobiles was thin.

No long route buses left or entered the city in the morning.

In Noakhali, at least 10 people were injured in a clash between police and 20-party activists in the district town during the blockade in the morning, while a daylong hartal, enforced by the local BNP-led combine protesting the killing of the Jubo Dal man Rubel, was also in progress there.

No long route buses departed from or entered the town in the morning.

Even no local bus was seen plying the town streets.

A large number of policemen and members of Border Guard Bangladesh remained deployed in the town to fend off any trouble.

In Pirojpur, police arrested two Jamaat men from Ghosher Haat in Zianagar upazila as they vandalised a Dhaka-bound bus in the area at about 7:00 am.

In Laxmipur, leaders and activists of BNP-Jamaat brought out a sudden procession in Miah Rasta area on the Laxmipur-Ramgati Road in the district town at about 9:00 am and vandalised a bus and an auto-rickshaw.

They also blasted five crude bombs in the area.

In Bogra, BNP-Jamaat men brought out a procession from Banani More in the district town in the morning only to be dispersed by police.

In Khulna, at least five people were injured in a clash between BNP-Jamaat men and police as police barred them from bringing out procession at PTI intersection of the city at about 8:00 am.

Police also arrested two pickets when they vandalised two buses in the area.

BNP chief Khaleda Zia called the countrywide indefinite blockade from Tuesday as the government did not allow her party and allies to hold protest rallies in the capital.

An FE Report adds: The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) will escort passenger buses and goods-laden trucks and covered-vans to ensure smooth movement of the vehicles on highways during the ongoing blockade programme.

The newly-appointed Director General (DG) of the elite force Benazir Ahmed said this to reporters while inspecting the security arrangements at the Biswa Ijtema venue, which will kick off today (Friday).

He said the force took the decision as part of the government plan to ensure security and safety of the passengers, exportable or importable goods and the vehicles to avert any possibility of violence on the highways.

"If the owners want to have security, we'll provide special escort to the transports," he said adding that the battalion has a strong network all over the country and all of its officials have already been asked to comply with the order on demand.

Appreciating the move, General Secretary of Central Committee of Bangladesh Inter-District Truck Drivers Union Md Millat Hossain said recent violent incidents created panic among the drivers as goods-laden trucks often come under attacks.

"Police escort will help remove such panic. But the process of seeking escort should be simplifier," he added.

When contacted, leader of Bangladesh Truck, Covered Vans Owners Association Rustom Ali Khan said they now feared of taking booking orders from the businessmen during programmes like hartal (shutdown) and blockade.

According to them, nearly 20 trucks and covered-vans came under attack of vandalism and arson at various points on the country's highways since enforcement of the nationwide indefinite transport blockade programme.

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