Trains, buses, ferries run

The shutdown on Sunday called by the 12 small parties with endorsement from BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami saw barely any action on streets.

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

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.

Fire Service and Civil Defence Control Room official Brajen Sarker said locals doused flames.

Not much action was seen outside Dhaka either. Other than the grounding measures on long route bus services, things were almost as usual.

Protests were on at Shahbagh demanding capital penalty for war criminals and ban on Jamaat, with thousands of people gathering till last reported at 9:30am – most of who are school-goers.

Rallies denouncing the shutdown were seen at several areas in Dhaka in response to earlier calls of Shahbagh’s ‘Ganajagaran Mancha’.

Police were seen deputed at all key points throughout Dhaka.

Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) Traffic Inspector Mohammad Solaiman said all launches left on time from Sadarghat terminal.

“Five launches departed for southern areas till 8:30am, however crowd was lower than usual,” he told bdnews24.com.

Authorities at Kamalapur Railway Station said all trains had departed from the station on time.

Private cars were few on Dhaka streets but rickshaws and auto-rickshaws were plenty.

bdnews24.com Correspondents reported processions of Bangladesh Chhatra League in several areas including Mahakhali.

Some long route bus hit roads for Mymensingh from Mohakhali bus terminal, however, none had departed from Sayedabad and Gabtoli.

Transport workers told bdnews24.com that they were waiting for passengers to depart.

Another attempt at pro-shutdown procession in Dholaipar under Shyampur police station dissolved when police charged. Some were nabbed from scene, said Jatrabari Police Station Officer in-Charge Abul Kalam Azad.

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.

‘Ganajagaran Mancha’ units in Chittagong, Rajshahi, Bogra – demanding capital penalty for war criminals in solidarity with Shahbagh since Feb 5, were attacked. Sylhet, Feni ‘Shaheed Minar’ were shown no mercy either.

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