DHAKA: The week-long blockade, called by 18-party alliance, and the dawn-to-dusk hartal, called by Jamaat-e-Islami, is underway simultaneously across the country amid stray incidents of violence.

Blockaders torched a pick-up van and a microbus and vandalized nine vehicles in Gozaria area in Munshiganj on Dhaka-Chittagong highway at around 6:00am.

Jamaat-Shibir men locked into chase and counter chase with police and clash and exploded cocktails in Sipahibagh, Madartek and Bakshi Bazar areas of the capital at around 8:00am.

Jamaat is observing the hartal protesting the issuance of death warrant against party’s assistant secretary general Quader Mollah.

As per previous announcement, the blockade was scheduled to end by 6:00pm Monday.

On Monday, the opposition alliance extended blockade till 6:00am Friday.

Earlier, the 18-party alliance observed two spells of countrywide blockade---71-hour and 131-hour---amid violence that left more than 50 people dead.

BDST: 0912 HRS, DEC 10, 2013