Onion-laden truck torched in Rajshahi

RAJSHAHI, Dec 17: The first day of the 72-hour blockade called by BNP led 18 party alliance was observed apparently peacefully in Rajshahi except burning of an onion laden truck near Kantakhali area of the city.

The alliance leaders and activists took out a procession to drum up support for the blockade programme in front of Women's College at Kadirganj area this morning. BNP central joint secretary and President of Rajshahi city unit BNP Mijanur Rahman Minu headed the procession. Among others, the procession was attended by RCC Mayor Mosaddeque Hossain Bulbul and BNP City secretary Shafiqul Islam.

Parading through Shaheb Bazaar and Malopara, the procession ended into a meeting at Rajshahi College campus.

Meanwhile, pro-blockade activists early this morning torched an onion laden truck by throwing petrol bombs at Kantakhali area of the city. The truck was badly burnt but there was no damage of onion as fire service personnel and local people rushed to the spot and doused the fire.

The onion was being carried to Dhaka from Rajshahi, informed helper of the truck Rashid. He further said, a group of people stopped the truck and forced them to get out and torched it by throwing petrol bombs inside.

However, the train services to and from Rajshahi was normal though there was no movement of intercity and local buses, trucks, microbuses and cars. The battery operated autos, however, plyed through roads uninterrupted.