The Dhaka Times Desk The 60-hour strike called by the BNP-led 18-party alliance has begun. Apart from a few sporadic incidents including picketing, no major incidents of violence have been reported so far.
The BNP-led 18-party alliance has called for a 60-hour strike from 6 am today to 6 pm on Wednesday to demand parliamentary elections under a non-partisan government.
As of writing the report at 10 am, no major untoward incident has been reported anywhere in the country including the capital. Law and order forces have taken strict security measures in the capital. A limited number of vehicles including rickshaws and tampos are plying in the capital. No long distance bus leaves from Gabtali, Mohakhali and Syedabad bus terminals. Railway sources informed that the train left Kamalapur station on time.
On Sunday, the day before the hartal, supporters of the hartal started arson, vandalism and cocktail explosions in the capital. At least 17 buses were set on fire. The capital became hot from Sunday morning. Besides, there was tension in the streets around the verdict of the international tribunal and the Awami League rally. There was a special security system throughout the capital. Members of law and order forces were on high alert. However, there have been incidents of cocktail explosions, arson and car vandalism in different areas of the capital since morning.
According to media sources, 17 vehicles were set on fire, 20 vehicles were vandalized and at least 30 cocktails were exploded in different places of the capital till 9 pm. Awami League offices caught fire in Jatrabari and Uttara. A porter was seriously injured and a rickshaw driver was injured in the cocktail explosion.
It should be noted that massive violence occurred during the 60-hour strike of 18 party alliance last week demanding elections under a non-partisan government. At least 14 people were killed.
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