DHAKA: The extended hartal, sponsored by Bangladesh Nationalist Party-led (BNP) 20-party alliance, has entered the last day across the country on Thursday.

Began on Sunday 6:00am, the shutdown was set to continue till Wednesday 6:00am, which was later extended to Friday 6:00am, coupled with a nationwide road-rail-waterway blockade for indefinite period.

Stray acts of sabotages were reported at different places of the country on Wednesday night.

Blockade and hartal supporters vandalized vehicles in Dijanpur, Maijdee of Noakhali, torched vehicles in Tangail, Rangpur, Hathajari of Chittagong and Savar, outskirt of Dhaka city.

Separate petrol bombs attack on passenger bus and good-laden truck left injured 12 people in Kisorganjm three in Chapainawabganj.

On Tuesday, BNP Joint Secretary General Salahuddin Ahmed, on behalf of the alliance, declared that they have extended their ongoing 72-hour hartal to 6:00am Friday.

Earlier, the BNP leader announced the sixth spell of shutdown through issuing statement last Friday (February 27).

The statement says that the fresh shutdown was called in demand of holding free and fair general election under a nonpartisan government, and releasing all detained leaders and political prisoners of the alliance.

The alliance also came up with the shutdown in protest of extra juridical killings allegedly carried out by law enforcing agencies across the country, it adds.

In previous five weeks, country witnessed a series of shutdowns by the alliances, which were followed by a two-day break during the weekend only.

In addition to the hartal, a nationwide blockade is underway for indefinite period since Khaleda announced the blockade on January 5 protesting government’s bar to obverse the ‘democracy killing day’ and her ‘confinement’ to Gulshan political office.

On that day, incumbent Awami League government marked the first year of its 5-year tenure since it takes office through January 5 polls, which BNP boycotted.

BDST: 0715 HRS, MAR 05, 2015