The Dhaka Times Desk The 48-hour hartal of 18 parties led by the BNP, called to demand the release of the leaders and workers, has started with widespread vandalism. At least 21 cars have been burnt in the capital since yesterday afternoon. Picketers threw hand grenades at Pallavi in the capital today. Besides, cars were vandalized in Gabtali and Shyamoli.
Around 7 am in the central office of the BNP, the party's acting general secretary Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and the party's leaders and workers have taken a stand. There is strict police and RAB security in front of the office.
Meanwhile, the camp marched on Panthpath. But they fled before the police arrived. Apart from the main main road of the capital, police and law enforcement officers are on the hill in Oligli. RAB and police vehicles are also patrolling. However, the traffic is increasing as the day progresses. Among these vehicles, the number of buses is more.
Massive violence yesterday
At least 21 vehicles were set on fire in different parts of the capital yesterday Sunday, the day before the 48-hour strike called by the BNP-led 18-party alliance. Eleven buses, a CNG and a pickup van were set on fire in Paltan, Malibagh, Motijheel, Farmgate, Kalyanpur, Karwan Bazar, Kakrail, Mirpur number 11, Segunbagicha, Khilgaon, Kaptanbazar and Badda in the capital. However, there were no casualties. Apart from this, random cocktail explosions occurred at different places.
Panic spread across the capital due to vehicle fires and cocktail explosions in different parts of the city. Thousands of people are suffering due to traffic crisis in Rastma. Despite the strict vigilance of the RAB-Police on the main main roads and Golimukh, anxiety is created everywhere. Shops and businesses are closed. Police-RAB has made extensive preparations to prevent any kind of sabotage during the strike. BGB descended on Rastma in the evening. Police patrols were increased on important roads. Police patrols with APC armored vehicles have been intensified.
Eyewitnesses said that a bus was set on fire near the gate of the National Sports Council next to the National Mosque Baitul Mukarram yesterday at a quarter past one. The New Vision Transport bus was going from Motijheel to Mirpur.
10-12 people signaled the bus to stop with cricket bats and stamps. When the driver stopped the bus, they vandalized it. At one stage they set fire to the bus. On receiving the information, the fire service personnel went and extinguished the fire. However, the interior of the bus was completely burnt.
Meanwhile, a pickup van was set on fire in front of the central office of BNP in Nayapaltan at around two o'clock. However, the local people put out the fire before the fire service personnel arrived.
On the other hand, miscreants set fire to a bus number 6 near Anand Cinema Hall in Farmgate around 2:50 PM. A bus of Balaka Paribahan was set on fire in front of the beehive market in Malibagh around 1:30 pm. The fire service personnel went to the spot and extinguished the fire. However, most of the two buses were burnt.
In front of Khalek Pump in the capital's Kalyanpur, around 3.30 pm, the hartal supporters set fire to a long-distance bus named Sangram Paribahan. The bus was stopped at the spot. It had no passengers. The helper was sleeping inside the bus.
Miscreants set fire to an alternative transport bus at Caravan Bazaar around 5 pm. Car staff Momen said that the car was being repaired due to a mechanical problem. Suddenly someone set fire to the back of the bus. Later, Prothom Alo's security personnel doused the fire with the help of their own fire fighting system.
Eyewitnesses said that around 1:30 p.m., hartal supporters set fire to passenger buses in Malibagh and Kaptanbazar. The Dhaka-Munshiganj route bus was standing at Kaptan Bazar. Miscreants accidentally set it on fire. The Malibagh bus was transporting passengers on the domestic route of the capital.
At 3:30 in the afternoon, supporters of the hartal set fire to Bus No. 3 in front of Kakrail Mosque. Two strike supporters came to Hondayoga and set fire to the bus and escaped. At this time, the Muslims of Kakrail Mosque tried to put out the fire by taking water from the mosque. Later, the fire brigade personnel came and brought the fire under control.
Police arrested 3 hartal supporters while trying to stop Rastma by burning tires at Fakirapool intersection. At 4:30 pm, hartal supporters set fire to a bus of Midline Paribahan in front of Khilgaon Taltala Market in the capital. Suddenly some youths set fire to the bus and escaped. At this time, the passengers hurriedly got off the bus.
At around 5:30 pm, hartal supporters set fire to a CNG cab in front of the ACC headquarters at Segunbagicha in the capital. At that time, the police arrested one person. A passenger safety transport bus from Mirpur to Azimpur was set on fire in Mirpur section 11 shortly before 6 pm. The vehicle was set on fire by the strike supporters.
A Suprabhat Paribahan bus was set on fire at Mermanal Badda at 6.20 pm. Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Badda Police Station Iqbal Hossain said that six youths with three motorcycles poured petrol on the bus and set it on fire and escaped quickly. Gulshan fire station personnel brought the fire under control. At the same time, a bus was set on fire in front of the Motijheel Madhumita cinema hall.
It should be noted that in the history of Bangladesh, so many cars were burnt on the eve of a strike.
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