Three killed on 2nd day

Two persons including a Jubo Dal man were killed in Noakhali and a picket's stone killed an autorickshaw passenger in Sirajganj as the second day of the nationwide indefinite blockade, enforced by the BNP-led 20-party alliance, passed off amid incidents of violence and arrests.
Long-route bus movement remained halted in most places of the country on the second day of the blockade but launch and train services were almost normal.
The Jubo Dal activist was identified as Rubel, 22, a local activist of the Jubo Dal. He was killed as the police opened fire at one stage of a clash with the processionists at Choumuhani Bazar in Begumganj upazila of the district.
One killed in Sirajganj blockaders attack
On the other hand the auto-rickshaw passenger was killed in an attack by blockaders on Bogra-Nagarbari road in Ullahpara Upazila.
The victim was identified as Ismail Hossain, 60, of Jangidah village in Shahjadpur Upazila.
Officer-in-charge of Ullahpara Model Police Station Tajul Huda said picketers threw brick chips at a CNG-run auto-rickshaw carrying Ismail near Shemolypara bus stand around 1pm, killing him on the spot.
However, the blockade was observed in a relaxed mood in the capital on Wednesday as movement of all modes of transports became normal.
Five buses were torched in Shewrapara, Azimpur, Badda, Shyampur and Baitul Mukarram areas and a young man was arrested while trying to set fire to a vehicle on the airport road in the city.
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia Monday announced the non-stop countrywide blockade programme to protest the government's refusal to allow the BNP and its allies to hold rallies in the capital and elsewhere, marking the first anniversary of the controversial 10th parliamentary election.
Except arson attacks, no major incidents of violence were reported in the city with railways witnessing a huge rush of passengers on the day.
The BNP Chairperson remained confined to her Gulshan office for the fifth day Wednesday as a large number of law enforcers were seen deployed in front of the office main gate.
Khaleda Zia who is unwell could not appear before the Bakshibazar makeshift court on the day Wednesday in two graft cases as the main gate of her office was kept locked, Khaleda's lawyer Mahbub Uddin Khokon said.
A time petition was submitted to the court concerned to defer the hearing, he added.
"There's no security of Khaleda Zia at present, she is confined to her office and the gate is locked. How will she appear before the court?" he said.
Since early morning, trains crammed with passengers were seen reaching the Kamalapur railway station as passengers preferred travelling by train to avert violence being created by pickets on roads.
Talking to the FE, Shahbaz Uddin, who serves with an insurance company in Motijheel area, said he usually goes to his office from Uttara by passenger bus.
"But today, I along with some of my friends travelled from Uttara by train to avert trouble like arson attacks and vandalism as a number of buses were torched and damaged by the pickets in the city over the last couple of days," he said.
When contacted, Transportation Officer of Bangladesh Railway (Dhaka Division) Nazmul Islam said they witnessed a heavy rush of passengers on the first day of the ongoing blockade programme.
He said: "The commuters who reside in areas like Tongi, Uttara, Banani and Narayanganj choose the option of travelling by trains as the safest mode of transport when political situation gets worse."
Vehicular movement was also normal as a significant number of passenger buses, private cars, microbuses and CNG-run auto-rickshaws were seen plying the streets since the morning. Even passengers were stuck in traffic congestion in different parts of the capital, including Purana Paltan, Gabtoli, Jatrabari, Asad Gate and New Market.
After visiting Gabtoli and Sayedabad Bus Terminals, it was found that few buses left for Comilla, Rajshahi, Chapainawabganj and Faridpur districts with a small number of passengers amid tight security.
The situation remained the same at Sadarghat Launch Terminal as 48 out of 49 launches reached the terminal until 1:00 pm and 14 passenger vessels left the country's largest terminal for various destinations during the time with a less number of passengers.
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