Dhaka, Apr 29 (bdnews24.com) -- Schools and most businesses remained closed in the capital, Dhaka, as an 18-party opposition alliance led by BNP enforced a daylong general strike across the country amid reports of explosions and detention of opposition activists on Sunday.
On Saturday, BNP announced the general strike to continue its pressure on the government to get M Ilias Ali back as the opposition accuses government agencies of 'abducting' him from a Dhaka street on Apr 18.
Ilias Ali, a BNP organising secretary and the Sylhet chapter chief, went missing along with his driver apparently from Mohakhali area from where police recovered his abandoned car.
After enforcing three days of nationwide general strike last week, BNP chief Khaleda Zia gave the government a Saturday deadline to return Ilias Ali. Otherwise, she had threatened to launch a tougher anti-government movement.
As Ilias Ali was not returned by Saturday, BNP called the spell of shutdowns for Sunday and Monday.
Sunday's strike began with explosions of three crude bombs near a BNP procession, led by the party's joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi and central committee member Mostafizur Rahman Babul, in front of its Naya Paltan headquarters.
There were no immediate reports of any casualties from those explosions.
But the blasts prompted police to briefly detain a number of demonstrators including Rizvi, Babul and BNP's student wing leaders 'Nishita' and 'Urmi'.
Labour Party chief Mostafizur Rahman Iran was also detained when he tried to enter the BNP office around that time.
Later, they were released.
Reports of more explosions were reported from other parts of the city.
Three bombs exploded at Mugdapara.
Explosions of another five bombs were reported in front of Mirpur Bangla College when police dispersed a procession by Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal.
Jamaat-e-Islami, BNP's key ally, brought out processions in support of the strike at Rampura and Mirpur.
Like previous shutdowns, law enforcers on Sunday kept the BNP office under siege. Even though some senior leaders including the party's acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir have taken position there, most of the other leaders were not being allowed to get close to the office.
Venting frustration over the police action, Fakhrul said, "The government is not allowing the opposition to demonstrate peacefully. They have turned the country into a prison."
"We are urging the government again to return Ilias Ali and his driver to their families," the BNP leader said, claiming that they are sure from media reports that the government has a hand behind their disappearances.
Long-distance buses remained inoperative but train, launch and planes are operating normally.
Traffic on the streets in Dhaka remained thin even though many buses, auto rickshaws, taxis and private cars were seen plying.
Source: bdnews24
0 comments:
Post a Comment