Eight held during Jamaat strike

Life in capital Dhaka has remained normal despite sporadic processions in support of a Jamaat-e-Islami strike called to protest the death sentence of its chief Motiur Rahman Nizami convicted on war crimes charges.

Staff Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 30 Oct 2014, 04:27 AM
Updated : 30 Oct 2014, 07:02 AM

Police have driven back party leaders and activists trying to bring out processions in various parts of Dhaka after the first of three strikes called by the Jamaat began at 6am Thursday.

So far, eight people have been detained from a procession at Lalbagh and after a raid in Mirpur.

Public transport appeared to be normal and people were seen heading for their work places.

Long-haul buses have not, however, left from the Gabtoli, Mohakhali, and Syedabad terminals for fear of violence. But those plying on short routes ran as usual after the Dhaka Road Transport Association (DTA) decided to ignore the three-day strike call.
Launches from the Sahdarghat terminal and trains from the Kamalapur Railway Station left on schedule.
Law enforcers are on a strict vigil across the country to thwart any attempt to create trouble. Additional RAB and police forces were seen since early morning at key points in Dhaka.
Lalbagh Police Station OC Nurul Muttakim said that two Jamaat activists were held around 6am while an attempt was made to bring out a procession in the area.
Meanwhile, police have arrested six Islami Chhatar Shibir (ICS) activists in Mirpur.
ICS is the student affiliate of Jamaat.
Mirpur Police Station OC Md Salauddin Ahmed said they were nabbed from a students' dormitory in the Purba Monipur area.
Jihadi books and containers filled with petrol were recovered during the raid, he said.
Police dispersed Jamaat activists in the city's Badda area when they were trying to take out a procession.
Jamaat has called 24-hour strikes on Thursday, Sunday and Monday after its chief, who headed the notorious ‘killing squad’, Al-Badr, during the 1971 Liberation War, was sentenced to death by the International Crimes Tribunal on Wednesday.
Activists of the party in Chittagong, Sylhet, Rajshahi and Chapainawabganj had clashed with police on Wednesday after the verdict was announced.