BNP’s strike against 16th Amendment begins

The strike sponsored by the BNP-led alliance in protest against the 16th Amendment has got off to a sedate start.

The 20-Party alliances dawn-to-dusk countrywide strike on Monday follows Jamaat-e-Islami’s second strike to back its demand for the release of top leader and war crimes convict Delwar Hossain Sayedee on Sunday.

Jamaat and BNP are close allies.

Pro-shutdown activists took out short and sudden processions at Khilgaon and Demra amid light rain.

There was still no report of major disruptions in any part of the capital.

Police dispersed a sudden procession by BNP’s student front Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal at Dhaka University’s around 6am and arrested three strikers, said Shahbagh Police Inspector Md Habil Hossain.

Jamaat student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir activists poured petrol on a street at Moghbazar but fled when police arrived.

Police and Rapid Action Battalion were seen deployed at various points of the city. The BNP’s main office at Naya Paltan was being surrounded by a large posse of security personnel.

Acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and few other central leaders reached the office early morning but there were not much activity by party workers in the area.

Public transports were running in Dhaka as usual, but very few long-route buses have left for their destinations from the major terminals at Gabtoli, Syedabad and Mohakhali.

Transport owners say they suspended the services as there were not enough passengers.

“No one is willing to take risks,” Unique Paribahan General Manager Abdul Haque told bdnews24.com.

“We want to run our transport, but we’re not getting passengers,” said Mohakhali Bus Owners Association President Abul Kalam.

Earlier on Sunday, the associations of shop and transport owners announced that they will keep their businesses open across Bangladesh during the BNP’s strike.

Launches in Sadarghat are operating normally during the shutdown, said Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority’s Transport Inspector Humayun Kabir.

Trains too have left Kamalapur Station on time, said Railway Police SI Rafikul Islam.

The 16th Amendment to the Constitution was passed in Parliament on Wednesday. It empowers MPs to remove top judges.

Spokesperson Mirza Fakhrul announced the strike after a meeting at Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s Gulshan office on Saturday.

The people will be denied justice now that judges have been put ‘under mental stress’ and legislative oversight, said the BNP leader.