Jamaat\\\'s slack hartal ends amid poor response

The countrywide 36-hour hartal, enforced by Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami protesting the death sentence against its ameer Motiur Rahman Nizami for his war crimes, ended peacefully in the city as elsewhere across the country on Monday evening, reports UNB.

The 2nd-phase shutdown programme that began at 6am on Sunday ended at 6pm Monday without any major incident of violence at any part of the country as it evoked a lukewarm response.

The first-phase 24-hour hartal enforced by the party protesting the death sentence ended on Friday also amid poor response.

Hours after the International Crimes Tribunal-1 condemned Jamaat ameer Nizami to death for crimes against humanity during the 1971 Liberation War on Wednesday, the Islamic party announced a 72-hour staggered nationwide shutdown programme.

The 2nd-phase strike was originally called for 48 hours until Tuesday 6am, but the Islamist party on Monday reduced it by 12 hours due to the holy Ashura to be observed in the country on Tuesday.

Vehicular movement in the city was almost normal and necessary policemen remained deployed at the important points to fend off any untoward situation during the 36-hour shutdown.

In the capital, no long-route buses were seen to leave or enter the city.

The pickets were seen in less numbers on the streets in support of the strike.

Hartal supporters brought out processions in different areas of the city, including Barobazar, Tejgaon, Mirpur Embankment, Bakshibazar and Kajla. They also exploded a few crude bombs in different areas.

According to reports reaching the UNB news desk, Jamaat-Shibir activists staged demonstrations and clashed with police in Bogra, Comilla, Sylhet and Natore districts in the morning.