Dawn-to-dusk hartal observed
Police-picket clashes at vulnerable points in city
STAFF REPORTER
At least 50 leaders and activists of the front organisations of the
main opposition Awami League including 15 female workers suffered injuries in clashes with
police in the capital during the hartal hours yesterday.
Police picked up at least 100 pro-hartal pickets including president
and general secretary of Jubo Mahila League Nazma Akhter and Prof Apu Ukil respectively
while they tried to bring out pro-hartal marches in the city.
Krishak League, Awami Jubo League, Jatiya Sramik League, Awami
Swechchasebak League, Chhatra League, Mahila Awami League, Jubo Mahila League and Tanti
League called the countrywide dawn-to-dusk hartal to protest price hike of diesel,
kerosene, daily essentials and lack of adequate security for Leader of the Opposition
Sheikh Hasina and her family members.
At least a dozen leaders and activists of Jubo Mahila League suffered
injuries at Road-28 at Dhanmondi in the morning when they in a procession tried to sneak
through a police barricade there, and police resorted to indiscriminate baton charge. The
police squad picked up at least 15 female pickets including Prof Apu Ukil from the spot.
Some 20 pickets sustained injuries in a clash between police and
pro-hartal activists at Chawk Bazar crossing when the agitating demonstrators from a march
led by Dhaka City Awami League organising secretary and former legislator Mohammad Selim
pelted stones at the police squad there at noon.
Police also charged batons on the tail-end of a procession led by
Mahila Awami League president Ashrafunnessa Mosharraf at Kalabagan area in the morning
that left at least 10 including Rani, Tuhin, Sonali, Bappi, Nilu and Safia injured. A
dozen other female pickets including Jubo Mahila League president Nazma Akhter were picked
up in a police van from Paltan intersection also in the morning when they tried to march
in a procession towards the party central office on Bangabandhu Avenue. Police dispersed
three other pro-hartal marches at Shapla Chattar, Pallabi and Jurain areas of the city and
dispersed the marchers using batons. Many pickets including some female activists were
picked up in police vans from these spots. Police also foiled a bid of the Jubo League
president Jahangir Kabir Nanak, its president Mirza Azam MP and central leaders Ataur
Rahman Ata, Amir Hossain Gazi and Mohiuudin Ahmed Mohi to bring out a procession from
Muktangan.
As the police squad picked up Jubo League leader Saifuddin in their
van, Nanak and Azam also boarded the vehicle after heated exchange with police demanding
his release.
However, the Jubo League leaders returned to their central office on
Bangabandhu Avenue after an hour without their detained leader.
Chief Whip of the Opposition Abdus Shaheed, Panchanan Biswas and
Shahjahan Khan led a procession from the Jatiya Sangsad area and marched towards Sheikh
Russell Square on Mirpur Road where they staged a demonstration for about two hours since
12 noon.
Some leaders of Awami League and its front organisations including
Begum Matia Chowdhury, Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya (Bir Bikram), Omar Ali, Shahe Alam
Murad, Dr Dilip Roy, MA Karim along with some activists who could enter the party central
office on Bangabandhu Avenue early in the morning took out repeated processions being
confined to the besieged party office area and held a rally in the afternoon.
Jubo League chairman Jahangir Kabir Nanak, who presided over the rally,
announced that the opposition would observe a nation-wide ‘protest day’ today
condemning the ‘police excesses’ on the leaders and activists during the hartal
hours yesterday.
Our Dhaka University Correspondent adds: Police chased a pro-hartal
march of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), the students front of the Awami League, on Dhaka
University campus and dispersed them. Two leaders of BCL identified as Samiul Alam and Abu
Newaj Biltu were arrested by police from the spot.
Later, BCL took out a procession on the campus protesting the arrest of
their leaders. BCL president Liaquat Shikdar, general secretary Nazrul Islam Babu, vice
presidents Marufa Akhter Poppy, Balaram Poddar and Rafique Kotwal led the procession.
Most of the shops, shopping complexes, private business houses and
educational institutions remained closed in the city yesterday. Buses did not operate from
four city inter-district bus terminals, but a few local BRTC buses and mini-buses plied
the city routes. As the day progressed, the number of vehicles increased on the city
streets. However, there was usual plying of rickshaws. Operation of flights, trains and
river transports also was not hampered due to hartal yesterday.
Our Madaripur Correspondent reports: At least 10 pickets including
district unit leaders of Awami Swechchasebak League Abdullah Al-Mamun and Mahmudul Hossain
Arif sustained injuries when police baton-charged their pro-hartal procession. Apart from
this incident, the hartal was observed peacefully in the district yesterday.
Police version on hartal
STAFF REPORTER
Barring a few sporadic incidents, the countrywide dawn-to-dusk hartal
called by the opposition Awami League yesterday passed off peacefully.
Though the pro-hartal activists staged demonstration a few places
creating obstacle to movement of transports, a large number of rickshaws, vans and
mini-buses operated as usual, according to a press release of the police headquarters.
Police picked up one picket from Federation Bhaban at Motijheel at
about 9:30 am when the pickets tried to prevent movement of vehicles. Police picked up
another person from Muktangan area at about 10:30 am when the Juba League workers put
barricade on the street there. Four others were picked up from Shapla Chattar at 9:40 am
when the pickets brought out a procession and forcibly tried to prevent movement of
transports there.
Police dispersed a procession near Hotel Kasturi at about 10 am when
they created barrier to traffic movement. As they became hostile towards police, a few of
them were picked up. Pickets damaged glass of a bus of Turag Paribahan (bearing number
Dhaka Metro-Ja-4-0706) at Khilgaon area near Tongi Biswa Road at about 10:25 am. Police
also picked up one person from Road No. 15 at Dhanmondi at about 11 am when the pro-hartal
pickets put up road barricade forcibly bringing out procession there. Almost at the same
time, police picked up three persons from Motijheel Rajuk when they tried to prevent
movement of vehicles.
Two workers were picked up from a procession of the Chhatra League that
was brought out from the Arts Faculty building of Dhaka University and as the pickets
tried to attack police at 11-15 am. As the pro-hartal pickets brought out a procession
from the residence of Haji Selim and tried to create obstruction to traffic movement,
police dispersed them and picked up two/three of them.
Police picked up some 75 persons including women during the hartal
hours from Dhaka city.
Besides, no incident of law and order was reported from anywhere across
the country including Chittagong, Khulna and Rajshahi metropolitan areas and other
divisional and district headquarters, the press release added. In every place, rickshaws,
baby-taxis, tempos, mini-buses and buses plied.
Though there was no operation of long-distance buses and trucks during
the hartal hours, movement of trains, motor launches and steamers was normal while the
Biman touched down and took off as usual too. Offices, courts, banks, insurance companies,
garments factories and EPZs and industries were open. Loading and unloading of goods at
Chittagong and Mongla seaports was also normal.
Life normal in Ctg, disrupted in Khulna by hartal
STAFF CORRESPONDENT, CHITTAGONG
Jan 8: The half-day hartal enforced by the Awami League protesting the
price hike of diesel, kerosene and daily essentials was observed by and large peacefully
in greater Chittagong.
Sources said, the Awami League reduced the time of hartal in Chittagong
for undisrupted movement of Haj pilgrims and ensuring participation in the grand rally of
Sunni believers.
There were no pickets on the roads in Chittagong. No activities of the
activists of Awami League were seen during the hartal hours in the port city.
Mechanised vehicles were off the streets of the city in the first hours
of the day. But buses, minibuses, tempoes, baby taxies and rickshaws were seen plying on
the streets from 11 am today. The transactions in the financial institutions including the
banks and the insurance also remained suspended. The shopping establishments of the city
remained closed. The attendance in both public and private offices was satisfactory.
Loading and unloading at Chittagong Port was normal, but delivery of
cargo was suspended. Production in the industrial units remained suspended. Movement of
train was normal during the hartal hours.
Our Staff Correspondent adds from Khulna: Normal life was partialy
disrupted and business activity suffered here as the dawn-to-dusk hartal was peacefully
observed in Khulna metropolitan area and elsewhere of Khulna district today in response to
the call by several front organisations of Awami League including Jubo League and Krisak
League to protest the price hike of essential items and petroleum products and the failure
of the government to nab the criminals involved in the August 21 grenade attack on AL
public meeting in Dhaka.
During the hartal hours all kinds of motorised vehicles stayed off the
streets in the metropolitan area, while the movement of rickshaws and rickshawvans was
more or less normal. Classes were not held in educational institutions. Shops, shopping
centres and private business establishments were closed in the main areas of the city.
Some commercial banks transacted limited business behind closed doors
but inter-bank transactions were not held, as the Clearing House of Bangladesh bank could
not operate due to the absence of the representatives of commercial bank branches.
Government offices were open with comparatively less attendance.
Security was beefed up in the city, as police, BDR and APBn men were
deployed at key points in the metropolitan area to prevent any untoward incident. The
pickets damaged a truck near Moilapota area in the morning.
The activists, workers and supporters of Jubo League, Chhatra League,
Krisak League and other front organisations of Awami League brought out a joint procession
from their party office and paraded city streets, chanting various slogans. The procession
over, they held a brief rally near Shahid Hadis Park with the president of Khulna district
JL Kamruzzaman Jamal in chair.
Speakers at the rally included Advocate Rahman Poplu, Ashraful Alam
Babul, MB Jafar, Ali Akbar Tipu, Sheikh Ali Akbar, Malik Sarwaruddin, Sheikh Abu Hanif and
Aktaruzzaman Babu.
Our Sylhet Correspondent adds: Hartal was observed peacefully in Sylhet
city on yesterday.
No untoward incident took place in the city or its outskirts during the
hartal hours.
No machanised vehicles were seen on the road.
Most of the streets and main points of the city were occupied by riot
police during the shutdown.
Pro-hartal activists held a rally at the Court Point in the city at about 3 pm with
president of city AL and city Mayor Badar Uddin Ahmed Kamran in the chair.
Khaleda asks party men to implement uplift schemes
BSS, DHAKA
Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia yesterday urged
her party leaders and workers to strengthen organisational activities at the grassroots
level and work to reach the fruit of development activities to the doorstep of the people.
She was exchanging views with leaders of the district, upazila and
municipality units of Brahmanbaria BNP, and part of Comilla BNP at Pradhanmontri Bhaban at
Sher- e-Banglanagar here last evening.
Begum Zia also asked the BNP leaders to enhance interaction with the
people and project achievements of the government in various fields in the last three
years.
Presidents and general secretaries from the BNP units in Laksham,
Longolkot, Sharail, Brahmanbaria sadar, Akhaura, Bancharampur, Ashuganj, Kashba and
Comilla municipality called on Begum Zia as part of the on-going programme for direct
communication between the BNP Chairperson and the grassroots level leaders.
The BNP leaders apprised the Prime Minister of different issues,
including organisational activities, development programmes and improvement of law and
order in their respective areas.
Shipping Minister Akbar Hossain, Prime Minister's Political Secretary
Harris Chowdhury, State Minister for Fisheries and Livestock Ukil Abdus Sattar and Members
of Parliament Monirul Haq, Anwarul Azim, Abdul Gafur, Harun-or Rashid, Mushfiqur Rahman
and Abdul Khaleque were present.
Mannan Bhuiyan in favour of banning hartal
AGENCIES, DHAKA
Ruling BNP secretary general and LGRD Minister Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan
categorically said he is very much in favour of banning hartal, as a countrywide shutdown
once again disrupted normal life and business yesterday.
"I personally think that hartal should be banned by law, but
before that the issue should be discussed by all concerned," he said while talking to
journalists at his official residence at Bailey road.
Mannan Bhuiyan reiterated the offer to the opposition to sit across the
table to give up the politics of hartal for the sake of the country’s development.
"If they agree to talk, we will certainly respond to make a legal
framework to ban hartal, notwithstanding our position in the ruling party or in the
opposition," he said.
"But, the security issue of Sheikh Hasina for which the party has
called hartal on Saturday is not an issue at all, as the government has been providing her
more protection than she is entitled to as per law of the country," he said
"There was no restriction on Sheikh Hasina and her family members
to visit Tungipara. Even the government had arranged proper protection for her son,"
he said.
"The intelligence branches observed that Sheikh Hasina and her son
should not use open jeep for security reasons," he said and regretted that "they
misinterpreted the suggestion of the intelligence saying the government was opposing her
visit."
The ruling party leader deplored that opposition Awami League’s
front organisations enforced the hartal just a day before the scheduled start of SAARC
summit in Dhaka. The summit was, however, postponed following the tsunami havoc in the
member-countries.
He alleged that the motives for yesterday hartal were nothing but to
malign the image of the present government to SAARC nations as well as other foreign
countries.
"It’s not first—in previous times also Awami League had
done the same to give a negative idea to development partners of Bangladesh," Bhuiyan
said.
He reminded that hartal is no yardstick of popularity, and nowadays it
is also not considered a tool for movement as the countrymen "rejected
yesterday’s hartal".
The people want peace and development—they don’t want
confrontational politics.
"Awami League also knows that enforcing hartal does not pay. When
Awami League was in power, they promised not to enforce hartal, but now they
backtracked."
The minister hoped that the AL would not call hartal again when the
government will host the stalled SAARC summit in Dhaka in the near future.
"We also hope that they would not hamper development and image of
the country in the outside world," he said.
Bhuiyan, who was injured in gas-balloon blasts at a function in Narsingdi, but now
well, thanked all those who had visited him at the hospital and prayed his early recovery.
Certain quarter out to uphold human rights of terrorists
only, says Saifur
BSS, SYLHET
Jan 8: Finance and Planning Minister M Saifur Rahman today came down
heavily on those who criticised the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) for the death of
terrorists in crossfire.
"A certain quarter does not raise its voice for human rights when
a terrorist kills 10 to 12 innocent persons in the country. But this quarter is very
active to uphold the human rights of a terrorist killed in crossfire with the law
enforcers," he said. The minister as the chief guest was addressing the council of
city unit of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) at Alia Madrasa Maidan here.
With BNP city unit convenor Ariful Haque Chowdhury in the chair, the
council was also addressed, among others, by M Ilyas Ali MP, Dildar Hossain Selim MP and
Shafi Ahmed Chowdhury MP.
Saifur described the politics of BNP as the politics of patriotism and
said, "BNP is devoting all its efforts towards bringing smile on the faces of the
people in a democratic atmosphere."
We want people's unity, not division, and that is why we always oppose
the politics of destruction, he added.
In this respect, he referred to the overwhelming mandate given to BNP
during the last general elections and said the present government came to power with
massive support to ensure safety and security of all in the country. State Minister for
Public Works and Housing Alamgir Kabir, State Minister for Education ANM Ehsanul Haque
Milon and State Minister for NGO Affairs Mohammad Lutfar Rahman Khan Azad also addressed
the council.
The city wore a festive look with colourful festoons, placards and
banners placed at different important points to mark the occasion.
Besides, several arches were erected at various points to welcome the
leaders and workers of BNP to the council.
Saifur Rahman, also a senior member of the BNP standing committee, said
Awami League during its rule indulged in terrorism by patronising the miscreants across
the country.
Referring to various government measures to check terrorism, he said
the four-party alliance government had improved law and order by infusing dynamism into
the law enforcing agencies including police.
"The government has also enhanced the country's image by
establishing human rights and ensuring freedom of the press," he observed.
If Awami League believes in democratic system and constitution, he
said, it would not engage itself in creating anarchy in the country to oust the four-party
alliance government, he said.
"The present government is enjoying two-thirds majority in
parliament," he pointed out.
The finance minister said the pace of development would gain more
strength if Awami League allows the government to run the country peacefully.
"We believe in democratic system as we know that the people are
the source of power," he said.
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