Arson attacks and vandalism in different parts of the city marked the first day of the second-phase nationwide blockade called by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) on Sunday.
The BNP is enforcing the blockade across the country to press home their demand for resignation of the government and to protest the mass arrest of its leaders and activists.
Jamaat-e-Islami and other likeminded political parties are also observing the blockade.
Leaders and activists of BNP and its political allies brought out processions in different parts of the city in support of the blockade while the ruling party and its affiliated organisations observed different programmes condemning the blockade.
Four people, including a transport worker and three policemen, were injured in two different incidents in the city's Meradia and Uttara.
The transport worker identified as Sabuj Mia (30) was injured as picketers torched a bus of Achhim Paribahn in Meradia at around 7:30 am, witnesses said.
The injured was rescued and admitted to Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery.
After a three-day consecutive blockade, BNP and Jamaat announced the 48-hour blockade programme across the country to be observed from 6am on Sunday to 6am on Tuesday.
The three members of police were injured after crude bombs were hurled towards them while they were patrolling in Abdullahpur area at around 6:00 am.
Among the injured were Sub-inspector of Uttara West Police Station Mahbub Ali.
A picketer identified as Qazi Md Hasan was caught red handed after the incident.
Besides, in support of the countrywide blockade, Ganatantra Mancha brought out a procession at Purana Paltan in the capital.
The leaders of the organisation vowed not to allow the government to stage another lopsided national election.
They also criticised the Election Commission's (EC's) invitation for dialogue ahead of the upcoming polls.
They said that they would not allow the government and the ruling Awami League to 'play with the people's democratic rights'.
Chief coordinator of Ganosamhati Andolon Zunaid Saki, general secretary of Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) Shahid Uddin Mahmud Swapan and convener of Bhasani Anushari Parishad Sheikh Rafiqul Islam Bablu were present, among others.
Meanwhile, Senior Joint Secretary General of BNP Ruhul Kabir Rizi condemned the arrests of party leaders Barrister Shahjahan Omar (Bir Uttam), Altaf Hossain Chowdhury and Syed Imran Saleh Prince.
He called upon the government to release them immediately.
"Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has turned the whole country into a prison. It is a big mockery as on one hand the government is arresting our party leaders while on the other the Election Commission is calling BNP to participate in the upcoming national elections," he said.
He accused the government of launching a crackdown on the BNP leaders.
Mr Rizvi said, "The activities of the government prove that they (government) consider themselves as highly cleaver."
He added, "The government tries to hold on power by holding another farcical elections like those in 2014 and 2018."
"People of the country this time will not allow the government to hold any one-sided election," he asserted.
He said, "The people will not return homes until the government resigns and holds the national elections under an election-time neutral caretaker government."
Buses were set on fire in the city's Demra, Shyampur, Mirpur and Bangla Motor areas while an auto-rickshaw was vandalised in front of Shaheen College.
After visiting different areas including Karwan Bazar, Dhanmandi, Farmgate, Mohakhali, Paltan, Arambagh, Motijheel, and Guilistan, the FE correspondents came to know that the city witnessed less flow of traffic than usual.
A good number of police personnel were seen on guard before the BNP party office.
Police sources said no political event supporting the blockade took place there.
Meanwhile, long-route buses towards different destinations could hardly leave the capital city owing to poor passengers' turnout.
A ticketing staff of Saint Martin Heritage in the city's Arambagh area, Raju Ahmed, told the FE that they were in a dilemma about operating buses in regular schedule.
"On one hand number of passengers is scanty, while there are security issues about running buses in a long distance," he added.
talhabinhabib@yahoo.com
saif.feb@gmail.com