Strikers absent from streets

Activists from 12 small parties were barely present during Sunday’s shutdown called against the Shahbagh movement despite support from Jamaat-e-Islami and BNP.

Staff Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 24 Feb 2013, 10:57 AM
Updated : 24 Feb 2013, 11:38 AM

Anti-shutdown processions were visible all over Bangladesh, including the capital Dhaka, during the daylong nationwide strike on Sunday, as supporters of the parties, who announced the protest programme against police obstruction, were conspicuous by their absence.

Some thousands were seen marching the streets of Dhaka as the procession from Shahbagh ended at the site of the protest, now christened ‘Prajanma Chattar’, after going past the Dainik Bangla intersection.

However long-route buses did not depart from cities but trains, flights and launches regulated according to schedule.

But some buses were seen leaving for Mymensingh from Mohakhali bus terminal.

Fewer private cars were seen in Dhaka, but buses, human haulers, auto-rickshaws were seen plying.

Long route buses were not seen leaving from Syedabaad and Gaabtoli terminal until noon. A couple of buses started off after that.

Most of the day’s violence took place in Manikganj’s Singair upazila where four people were killed when strike supporters clashed with police and local people during the nationwide whole-day strike called by the small parties, police said.

But Shah Ahmadullah Aslam, chief of ‘Khelafat Andolon’ one of the member organisations of the 12 small parties, claimed the number of casualties was five.

As many as 160 were injured by bullets and more than 500 have been arrested, he claimed in a press conference.

Meanwhile, ‘Khelafat Majlish’ another member of the 12 small parties, claimed in a press note the number of casualties at Singair is seven.

It has called a dawn-to-dusk strike in Manikganj for Monday and protests across the nation.

On Friday, anti-Shahbagh mob clashed with police in several areas of Bangladesh after noon prayers. Police said it was orchestrated by the Jamaat-e-Islami.

After the hours-long mayhem, the small parties had called the shutdown alleging obstruction to their Friday programmes.

The organisers of Shahbagh’s ‘Ganajagaran Mancha’ urged the people to hit the streets in protest against the shutdown.

Several processions against the shutdown were taken out in several parts of the capital. An anti-shutdown procession kicked off in the morning from Shahbagh, which went past Matsha Bhaban, Press Club, Paltan, Dainik Bangla before finally ending at the site of the protest.

Police were deployed at all key points throughout Dhaka.

There were no pickets out in the main streets of the capital but a few people torched a human hauler in Dhalpur of Dhaka’s Jatrabari around 7:15am and fled, said Jatrabari Police Station Sub-Inspector Emranul Islam.

He told bdnews24.com, “The human hauler (Leguna) was parked on the side of a street. Suddenly a few appeared and fled after setting fire to it.”

The locals doused the fire by themselves, Fire Service Control Room official Brojen Sarkar said.

Police chased and foiled a procession the activists tried to take out at Dholaiparh’s Shyampur area.

A few people have also been arrested, Jatrabari OC Abul Kalam Azad said.

There were sporadic blasts in the capital which police blamed on the shutdown activists.

Several hand bombs exploded in Purana Paltan, Fakirapool DIT Extension Road and in front of the Press Club a few minutes after the anti-shutdown procession from Shahbagh’s ‘Ganajagaran Mancha’ passed by.

Police conducted a raid moments after a hand bomb exploded in Purana Paltan. Supporters of the shutdown tried to take out a procession there but police dispersed them by firing blank shots.

At the same time, two hand bombs were detonated at Fakirapool DIT Extension Road. Motijheel Police arrested 19 people after a search in that area.

“Hand bombs were hurled from several tall buildings around the area to unleash terror. We held some people from adjoining areas for questioning as soon as we heard the news”, OC Mohammad Hedayettuzzaman of Motijheel Police has said.

Motijheel Police later informed that the number of arrestees from that area was 19.

Two hand bombs also exploded in the road near Press Club and the Secretariat. No-one was injured in these blasts.

After Sunday’s shutdown came to an end, Ahmadullah Ashraf, a leader for Khelafat Andolon, said there were seven parties which enforced the strike, not twelve.

“We are not at one with the 12 parties. Seven parties had called the strike.”

The parties are – Bangladesh Khelafat Andolon, Islami Oikya Jote, Khelafot Majlish, Khelafat-e-Islami Bangladesh, Jamiat-ul-Ulama-i-Islam, Islami Ain Bastobayon Committee o Ulama Committee.

Compensations were offered to the families of the people who died in Manikganj. Khelafot Andolon demanded punishment for those responsible for firing bullets.

Ahmadullah Aslam also demanded that all who were being held including Khelafot Andolon’s Secretary General Jafrullah Khan be unconditionally released.

They criticised several media outlets and proposed that they change their ‘atheistic mentalities’.

“ If the Prothom Alo, Daily Star, Kaler Kontho, Ekattor and Somoy do not change their atheistic ways, we will announce a call to reject products by Transcom Group, Meghna Group, City Group and Bashundhara Group”, the Khelafor leader threatened.

Khelafot Andolon also claimed that they and Jamaat-e-Islami do not match in ideals.

About the support from Jamaat-e-Islami and BNP for Sunday’s nationwide shutdown, Aslam said, “We have no relations with them. We cannot turn them away if they provide moral support. Even the Communist Party can provide support,” said Ahmadullah Aslam.