Jamaat blocks highways in Pabna

Activists of Jamaat-e-Islami have blocked several highways connecting Pabna with rest of the country during its daylong shutdown called to protest arrest of two of its leaders. The shutdown campaigners put up barricades on the Dhaka-Pabna, Pabna-Rajshahi and Pabna-Kushtia highways around 7.30am on Tuesday. Security has been heightened in key points of Pabna town to avert any trouble, Pabna Sadar Police Station OC Kazi Haniful Islam said. No major untoward incident had been reported from anywhere until 11am, the OC said. Long-haul bus services remained suspended while inter-city buses were operating. Police arrested the district unit Jamaat Secretary Abu Taleb Mondol, Shibir Vice-President Ariful Islam and local BNP President Jahangir Alam on Monday in connection with cases related to acts of sabotage during anti-government movement, according to bdnews24.com.