DHAKA: The fresh 72-hour hartal, sponsored by BNP-led 20-party alliance, is underway across the country from Sunday morning.
The seventh spell of shutdown that started at 6:00am is set to continue till Wednesday 6:00am coupled with a nationwide road-rail-waterway blockade for indefinite period.
Moreover, bangalnews correspondents reported detention, bombs and arms recovery and stray acts of sabotages carried out by blockaders in the capital, Sirajganj, Tangail and Sholoshohor of Chittagong till this afternoon.
Police nabbed three Islami Chhatta Shibir activists along with 70 petrol bombs, 50 cocktails and other firearms from a hideout on Nunachara hill under Sitakunda Upazila of Chittagong early Sunday.
Police, in nightlong drives, rounded up 112 suspected anarchists, including BNP-Jamaat activists from fifteen upazilas and other areas of Rangpur and Jessore districts.
Police recovered three petrol bombs and three cocktails from Ghatail of Tangail
Miscreants set fire to the Land Office of Shologhor union in Sreenagar upazila of Musiganj district early Sunday.
Three minor girls were injured when an abandoned cocktail went off in Bhola district town.
Activists of Jamaat-e-Islami and Shibir brought out procession in the city’s Paltan area and exploded six cocktails in support of blockade and harat. Police detained two people on the spot.
Earlier, BNP joint-secretary general Salahuddin Ahmed, on behalf of the alliance, announced the seventh spell of shutdown by issuing statement Saturday afternoon.
In previous six weeks, the country went through series of shutdowns by the alliances, which were followed by a two-day break during the weekends only.
In addition to the shutdown, a nationwide blockade is underway for indefinite period since Khaleda has 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, ruling Awami League marked the first year of its 5-year tenure since it takes office through January 5 polls, which BNP boycotted.
BDST: 4024 HRS, MAR 08, 2015
