DHAKA: A second day of fresh spell of 72-hour hartal, sponsored by BNP-led 20-party alliance, to realize their demands including ‘restoration of the people’s rights,’ is underway across the country on Monday.

The shutdown, starting from 6:00am Sunday, will end at 6:00am Wednesday, coupled with a nationwide road-rail-waterway blockade for indefinite period.

In city, miscreants set fire to a BRTC double-decker bus at Farmgate intersection in the city at 7:30pm Sunday, the first day of hartal.

In Rajshahi, Bagha post office was set afire presumably by hartal and blockade supporters around 9:00pm. Documents and furniture was burnt to ashes in the fire.

Post master Abdur Razzak and night guard Badal, however, narrowly escaped death.
 
Earlier on Saturday, BNP Joint Secretary General Barkatullah Bulu, issuing a press statement, announced another spell of nationwide shutdown from Sunday.

The statement said, the shutdown was also called demanding immediate release of BNP leaders and activists, including party joint secretary Salahuddin Ahmed and protesting force disappearance, murder, kidnap, torture and arrest en’ masse across the country.

The alliance, in the statement, urged its leaders-activists and people of the country to observe the nationwide shutdown as well as blockade peacefully.

This is the eighth spell of shutdowns, sponsored by the alliance, as the country went through series of hartals for the previous six weeks, 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 Zia 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: 0830 HRS, MAR 23, 2015