Clashes, vandalism and arson marked the third day of the Opposition's 71-hour transport blockade across Bangladesh, called to protest the announcement of the 10th national election schedule.
Published : 28 Nov 2013, 09:39 PM
Blockade campaigners torched a number of vehicles including a police car and several buses in Dhaka on Thursday. They clashed with police in several districts.
Reports of hundreds of people being injured in pitched battles came in from Patuakhali, Rajshahi and Sylhet.
The blockade will end at 5am on Friday.
Until Thursday evening, 18 people were reportedly killed in blockade-related violence.
Opposition activists attacked election offices and torched vehicles besides sabotaging railway services from Tuesday to Thursday.
50 injured in Patuakhali
At least 50 people, including policemen and pedestrians, were injured in Patuakhali when blockade supporters fought pitched battles with law keepers at Telikhali on the Patuakhali-Barisal highway.
Police fired rubber bullets, shotgun rounds and lobbed teargas canisters to drive away the blockade campaigners, said Superintendent of Police Rafiqul Hasan Gani.
Five policemen were injured in the hour-long clash, said Assistant Superintendent of Police Md Ansar Uddin, who was at the spot.
The BNP claimed a number of its activists had been injured in the clashes.
The wounded had been admitted to the Patuakhali General Hospital.
40 injured in Sylhet
Similar clashes in Sylhet have left at least 40 injured, including several policemen.
Police fired blank shots and lobbed teargas shells to disperse Chhatra Dal and Islami Chhatra Shibir activists at the Humayun Rashid Circle on Thursday morning, said South Surma Police Station OC Ranjan Shimanta.
At least 15 people were injured in the skirmish, he said.
Meanwhile, Opposition activists locked horns with police at Biyanibazar after the law keepers stopped a procession. At least 25 people were injured.
The campaigners vandalised at least 10 business establishments including offices of Bank Asia, the state-run Pubali Bank and Janata Bank, said Biyanibazar police OC Abul Kalam Azad.
A policeman had sustained bullet wounds, he said, adding that preparations were underway to file a case.
Cops, BNP clash at Savar
BNP supporters damaged vehicles, exploded handmade bombs and clashed with police on the third day of the blockade at Savar.
At least 30 people were injured in a showdown at Savar's Radio Colony bus stand on Thursday.
Witnesses said clashes erupted when police tried to prevent Opposition activists from blocking the Dhaka-Aricha highway with burning tyres.
Police lobbed teargas canisters to bring the situation under control.
Savar police OC Mostofa Kamal said four men had been arrested.
Meanwhile, the BNP's women front activists took out a procession at Savar's Bishmail and damaged several vehicles on the Dhaka-Aricha highway.
Truck torched in Madaripur
Supporters of the BNP-led 18-Party Alliance torched a cement-laden truck in Madaripur's Shibchar during the Opposition's ongoing transport blockade.
Police said Opposition activists had blocked the Kewrakandi-Shibchar road with logs on Thursday morning. They beat up the truck driver and his assistant before setting it on fire.
Locals doused the flames.
Rail tracks targeted in Chandpur
Opposition activists place burning objects on railway tracks and attacked a launch in Chandpur.
Chandpur police superintendent Md Amir Zafar said eight men had been arrested in this connection.
Police had put out the fire on the rail tracks at the 'Court Station' area at around 8am.
A group of Chhatra Dal activists, BNP's student wing, attacked a launch docked at the Chandpur terminal but fled before police arrived.
Blockade supporters also tried to make roads and streets impassable by placing logs and electric poles in Chandpur.
Bandarban AL leader attacked
Two improvised bombs were hurled at the residences of Alikadam Upazila Awami League's General Secretary Dungrimong Marma and Vice-President Md Jamal Uddin's residences. Jamal is also the Sadar Union's chairman.
Alikadam police OC Mohammad Islami said the explosions occurred simultaneously on Thursday morning.
Procession with dead body in Jessore
Jamaat-e-Islami and its allies took out a procession in Jessore with the body of its leader Abu Siddiqui Bulbul.
Bulbul was shot dead on Wednesday night.
The Jamaat had called a shutdown on Thursday in protest against the killing.
Opposition activists took Bulbul's body to his home at Upashahar around 10am and buried him there.
Kotwali police OC Emdadul Haque said no untoward incident had been reported from the district.
'Sticks procession' in Sirajganj
The BNP and Jamaat's shutdown in Sirajganj in protest against the death of their activists ended without any major incident of violence.
A group of Jamaat supporters took out a procession in the morning brandishing sticks but fled once the police arrived.
They tried to block the Sirajganj-Nalka road around 11am, but melted away at the sight of policemen.
Meanwhile, three persons including a woman were injured in bombs hurled by pickets at Enaetpur.
They were admitted to the Khwaza Yunus Ali Medical College Hospital.
Sadar police OC Habibul Islam said the situation was under control.
Road blocked in Noakhali
Opposition 18-Party Alliance supporters tried to block roads with tree trunks and burning tyres in many places including Maizdi, Sonapur, Dutterhat and Rashid colony.
Small processions were reported at Maizdi, Choumuhoni and other areas in support of the Opposition's blockade programme.
Nine men have been arrested for their alleged involvement with sabotage, Superintendent of Chandpur police Anisur Rahman said.
Police patrolled key city points to prevent further violence, he said.