DHAKA: A dawn-to-dusk countrywide hartal, enforced by Jamaat-e-Islami protesting the upheld of death penalty for war criminal party’s secretary general leader Ali Ahsan Mujahid, is underway from Thursday morning.

No effect of the shutdown was seen in the city as a large number of public transports were seen commuting the city dwellers in the morning.

No untoward incident was also reported in city. Besides, no procession was brought out in city in the morning in support of the hartal.

However, processions were brought out and cocktails were blasted in several areas of the country including Rajshahi on Wednesday night.

Meanwhile, police detained a few leaders and activists of Jamaat-e-Islami and Islami Chhatra Shibir while they were holding secret meetings in several areas in city Wednesday night.

A large number of additional police, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) members have been deployed in Dhaka, Chittagong, Rajshahi and other sensitive areas in country to strengthen the security.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) deputy commissioner (media) Muntasirul Islam told banglanews that no untoward incident was reported to them till filing the report.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Supreme Court (SC) upheld its previous verdicts on Jamaat leader Ali Ahsan Mujahid and BNP leader Salauddin Qauder that upheld death penalty given by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT).

Later on Wednesday noon, Jamaat leader Dr Redwan Ullah Shahedi told banglanews that party forum has decided to enforce daylong hartal on Thursday.

BDST: 0832 HRS, NOV 19, 2015
SR