Partial hartal in port city, traffic and port activities normal

CHITTAGONG, May 14: Dawn-to-dusk hartal called by the Jamaat-e-Islami was partially observed with no report of violence from anywhere in the city or district in greater Chittagong today.
Police said there was no report of violence from anywhere till 6.00 pm. All modes of transports were plying in the city as there were no pickets on the streets.
Over two thousand members of the police were posted in some 40 points in the city and on the Dhaka-Chittagong Highway to thwart possible attacks on vehicles.
Patrol police were seen checking the public at different crossings and intersections by stopping their transports.
Jamaat called the hartal to protest arrest of their leader and former lawmaker ANM Shamsul Islam and others on Monday. They were sent to jail the following day and a case was filed by Kotwali police under Anti-Terrorism Act.
Two activists of Islami Chhatra Shibir were arrested at around 9.00 am from Jail Road in the city, detective police said. They were trying to take to the road in a bid to damage vehicles, police said.
Traffic was low in the morning but picked up as day progressed. Limited number of highway vehicles plied and passed Sitakund and Mirsarai areas on the Dhaka-Chittagong highway without facing obstruction, said assistant police super (north) Md Shahidullah.
All government offices, private business firms, schools and colleges were open. HSC candidates were left out of the purview of hartal.
Train operations in the local sections and on inter-city routes were normal, said station manager of Chittagong Railway Station Shamsul Alam.
Activities in the port were normal. Loading and unloading of cargo in the port berths and specialised jetties and lightering of cargo at the port's outer anchorage went on undisrupted. Delivery of cargo from the port was low.