Four killed on 2nd day of hartal

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FE Team | Published: March 05, 2013 00:00:00 | Updated: February 01, 2018 00:00:00

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At least four people, including two siblings, were killed and 70 injured in clashes between law-enforcers and Jamaat-Shibir activists across the country, as the nationwide shutdown enforced by Jamaat-e-Islami continued for the second day Monday, reports UNB. Three people were killed in Satkkhira, while another in Sirajganj. In Kolaroa, Satkhira, three people, including two brothers, were killed and seven other suffered bullet wounds in a clash between Jamaat-Shibir men and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) personnel on Monday noon. The deceased were identified as Ruhul Amin, 52, and his younger brother Arif Billah, 30, both sons of late Rahim Bakhsh Moral of Ophapur village, and Shamsur Rahman, 40, son of Jaha Bakhsh of Koigram village. In Sirajganj, a madrasah student, Mahfuzullah, 13, was killed, and 27 others were injured, including five policemen, as Jamaat-Shibir workers clashed with police at separate places in Sadar and Ullapara upazilas in the morning. In the capital, pro-hartal elements exploded three crude bombs at Sonargaon Hotel intersection in the city's Karwanbazar area at about 2pm. Visiting Indian President Pranab Mukherjee is staying at the hotel. However, no one was injured in the blasts. A report of the FE adds, three bogies of a train which runs between Dhaka and Noakhali were set on fire at Kamalapur Railway Station Monday afternoon. Fire Service sources said the criminals torched the Upokul Express at around 4:15 pm, minutes after it had reached the station from Noakhali. A compartment of the train was completely burnt, while two others were damaged partially, station manager Khairul Bashir told the FE. He suspected that someone in the guise of passengers could launch the attack. However, no one was injured in it. Two units of fire-fighters rushed to the spot, and doused the fire with the help of the railway staffs within 30 minutes. Witnesses said a loud explosion was heard, and the fire engulfed the three compartments just after the passengers got down from the train. They also suspected that the arson attack was launched to create panic among the city dwellers. On information, Railway Minister Mazibul Hoque visited the spot. He blamed Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing - Islami Chhatra Shibir - for the incident. The UNB report continues, Junaidul Haque Tanmoy, a Class-VIII student of Bangladesh Bank High School in the capital, sustained bullet wounds, as police opened fire to disperse a group of hartal supporters in the city's Kamalapur area at about 11:00 am. Long route bus services remained suspended during the shutdown. All ticket counters at Mohakhali Bus Terminal were found closed. Jamaat-e-Islami activists brought out a procession in Banasree area of the capital in support of the hartal at around 7.00 am. But police foiled the procession by charging baton and firing rubber bullets. They also arrested five pro-hartal activists from the area. Police also rounded up three hartal supporters from Sadarghat and Babu Bazar after foiling a procession of Jamaat at around 6.00 am. Jamaat activists vandalised a BRTC bus at Dhalpur at 6:30 am, and made an attempt to torch it, injuring two of its passengers. Jamaat activists also brought out a procession in Rayerbagh area at the same time. Picketers tried to vandalise vehicles near Bangladesh Betar office in Agargaon area at around 7.45 am. Law-enforcers picked up three of them from the spot. Activists of Jamaat and Shibir brought out a procession in Pirerbagh area under Mirpur at 6:30 am. But police foiled the procession firing rubber bullets and lobbing teargas shells. Six Jamaat activists were arrested from the spot. Besides, 35 people were injured in clashes between police and hartal supporters in Barisal, Sylhet, Kurigram, Netrakona, Joypurhat and Bogra districts.