A Jubo Dal man was shot dead in Dinajpur district and a victim of an arson attack on a truck in Bogra died at the Dhaka Medical College Hospital on Friday, the 53rd day of the countrywide indefinite transport blockade.
The deaths occurred amid the BNP-led 20-party alliance's fresh call to enforce another 72-hour nationwide hartal from 6am tomorrow (Sunday), condemning the killing of opposition members in the name of crossfire, protesting the mass arrests, and calling for restoration of democracy and voting rights.
BNP joint secretary general Salahuddin Ahmed made the announcement through a press release.
He said the 72-hour strike from 6am on Sunday to 6am on Wednesday would be staged alongside the ongoing indefinite nationwide transport blockade.
On behalf of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, he also called upon party leaders and activists to observe the hartal peacefully.
However, the Jubo Dal man was killed in Chirir Bandar upazila of Dinajpur district at around 3pm on Wednesday as police opened fire on protesters who clashed with the law-enforcers protesting against a drive to arrest party men.
The deceased was identified as Md. Rejwan, 25, son of Habibur Rahman of Punotti Union of the upazila. He was a Jubo Dal activist of the union. Six other people including four policemen were also injured during the clash.
The injured persons are: ASI of police Md Mostafizur Rahman, constable Md. Habibullah, Md. Rabiul Islam Jahangir Alam, younger brother of Rejwan Md Haider Ali and his mother Ambia Begum.
Officer-in-Charge of Chirir Bandar police station Anisur Rahman confirmed the clash and killing.
He said the police went there to arrest a fugitive in a case filed over subversive activities, but BNP men attacked the police and got locked in a clash.
On the other hand, truck helper Jahangir Alam passed away at around 3:20am on Friday, confirmed Partha Sankar Pal, resident surgeon of the DMCH burn unit.
Jahangir received burn injuries when blockade supporters hurled petrol bombs on a truck at Char Matha in Bogra town on January 23.
The BNP-led 20-party alliance has been enforcing the non-stop nationwide blockade since January 5 alongside hartal in protest against the "confinement" of party chief Khaleda Zia and demanding a fresh election.
The blockade on the day also passed off amid stray incidents of violence and arrests.
In the capital, police arrested at least 24 leaders and activists of BNP and Jamaat-Shibir on the charge of 'sabotage plan' from different places of the city.
Police also arrested 38 BNP-Jamaat men in Jessore, 8 in Chittagong, 11 in Gazipur, 10 in Bogra
Vehicular movement was normal while a large number of law enforcers remained deployed in different parts of the capital to fend off any trouble.
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