Arson, clashes mark hartal-blockade

Arson attacks, clashes and cocktail explosions marked the 27th day of the non-stop countrywide blockade coupled with hartal on Sunday, with growing pressure from various quarters on major political alliances for a peaceful solution to the ongoing deadlock.  
Businessmen, politicians, professionals and civil society members have called upon both Awami League- and BNP-led political allies to sit for a dialogue by shunning the path of violence, which has severely affected the country's economic and educational activities.
On the first day of the latest spell of 72-hour hartal, called by the BNP-led 20-Party Alliance, Nur-e Alam (60), who suffered 48 per cent burn injuries in a recent petrol bomb attack at Jatrabari, succumbed to his wounds at the burn unit of Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH).
Alam was among the 28 victims, who suffered burn injuries in an arson attack at a bus at Jatrabari in the capital on January 23.
Meanwhile, unknown miscreants exploded two cocktails inside Bangladesh Secretariat at about 11:00am on Sunday.
Besides, law-enforcers in a special drive recovered five petrol bombs from the capital's Kadamtali area.
ASI (assistant sub-inspector) of Kadamtali Police Station Mizanur Rahman said they recovered the bombs from rooftop of a toilet at Lal Mosjid (Red Mosque) area. But none was arrested in this connection.
Reports of arson attacks and arrests were reported in various districts including Bogra, Feni, Comilla, Laxmipur, Jessore, Nilphamari, Noakhali and Mymensingh.
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