Sporadic clashes mark dawn-to-dusk hartal

FE Report Businesses and educational institutions were shut in the city Sunday as the main opposition enforced a dawn-to-dusk strike (hartal) protesting the government decision to split Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) into two zones. The shutdown across the capital was observed amid sporadic clashes, leading to detention of some BNP leaders and activists including the immediate past DCC mayor Sadek Hossain Khoka and former lawmaker Abul Kalam Azad. Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its allies observed the 12-hour shutdown starting from 6:00 am in protest against the government decision to split the 400-year-old city into two administrative zones. The government made the split Tuesday last in parliament, saying that it will help provide better services to the residents. Nearly 12,000 law enforcers, including police and Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), were positioned at various strategic points in the city to stem violence. The protesters could not take to the streets as police thwarted all their attempts. The riot police personnel also besieged the headquarters of BNP from the early hours. However, pro-strike activists clashed with police at several points in the capital that has left many people injured. Witnesses and police said the first major trouble took place at about 11:45 am around the District Judge Court area when a procession, led by Sadek Hossain Khoka, confronted with the riot police. Khoka was detained during the confrontation. The protesters also damaged some cars, torched a police van and motorbikes opposing the detention. Police dispersed them by charging batons and lobbing tear gas shells. Khoka was however set free within hours of his detention and admitted to a city hospital. The protesters claimed that the police personnel unnecessarily swooped on them during their peaceful protest. But police rejected the claim, saying that the strikers became unruly and started throwing brick pieces at passing vehicles, prompting them to retaliate. "The shutdown was observed almost peacefully, excepting some isolated incidents," Additional Police Commissioner (Crime) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Abdul Jalil Mandal told the FE over phone. "The former DCC mayor was not arrested. He was just picked up for his own security," he said adding that the number of the detained people was 34. BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir confirmed that the ex-DCC chief was admitted to the city's United Hospital and alleged that the ruling party men knifed him during the clash in front of the law enforcers. Government and private offices, banks and other financial institutions, however, kept their doors open amid low work pressure. Authorities of the city's schools and colleges suspended their proceedings for the shutdown. An official of Al Arafah Islami Bank at Uttara Branch said banking activities remained normal but the number of clients was poor. Traffic was very thin on the streets with most transport operators and private car owners preferring to stay off the roads during the day-long stoppage across the capital, causing sufferings to the commuters. Sources at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, Kamalapur railway and Sadarghat launch stations said the shutdown could not affect their schedules. Trading at the country's two bourses - Dhaka Stock Exchange and Chittagong Stock Exchange - continued without any hindrance.