Staff Correspondent
Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)-led 20-party alliance called a countrywide dawn-to-dusk hartal tomorrow (Monday) protesting arrest of the party leaders including Goyeshwar Chandra Roy and the restrictions on its rally in Gazipur scheduled on Saturday.
BNP Acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir came up with the announcement after a secretary general level meeting of the opposition alliance at BNP chief Khaleda Zia's Gulshan office in the capital.
"We are going enforce the hartal as the government did not allow us to hold our rally in Gazipur," the BNP leader said adding that the authorities also are not allowing them to organise any programmes across the country. Meanwhile, a dawn to dusk hartal called by Gazipur district unit of BNP was observed amid tight security in the district. The BNP also observed demonstration across the country.
The law enforcers dispersed the BNP activists while they were trying to bring out processions around 8am on Dhaka-Mymensingh highway in Sreepur area. Later, they vandalised some stationed-vehicles in the area.
Four platoons of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) were deployed in the district and other law enforcers were kept on high alert.
Gazipur Deputy Commissioner Nurul Islam said four platoons BGB have been deployed to maintain law and order in the areas. A huge number of police have also been deployed on the Bhawal Badre Alam College ground.
Besides, additional police have been deployed in different areas of Gazipur, including Chandana intersection, Tongi, Kaliakoir, Chandra, and Mawna.
Our Gazipur Correspondent adds: Pickets vandalised two CNG-run human haulers in the district during the daylong hartal (shutdown). Police also detained six pro-BNP activists from different parts in Kaliakoir upazila early on the day on charge of hatching conspiracy for carrying out sabotage activities during the strike.
The hartal supporters vandalised the human haulers, locally known as Leguna, at Bariderchala of Sreepur upazila around 8:30am after police dispersed their procession in the area.
Additional police had been deployed at the all key points in the district. Five platoons of BGB also joined them to maintain law and order, said Harun-ur-Rashid, Superintendent of Gazipur Police.
Public transportation was seen plying city streets in the morning though the traffic appeared shallower than the usual days. Trains were operating normally.
Though, the local unit BNP claimed that the government-backed goons carried out the attack. But Tongi police did not confirm who launched the attack.
Meanwhile, a case has been filed against Gazipur city corporation mayor and BNP Gazipur district unit president Fazlul Hoque on Saturday with Joydebpur police station.
Gazipur District administration, however, withdrawn sec 144 from 6 pm on Saturday at Bhawal Badre Alam Govt college area which was imposed on Friday last.