Blockade, hartal marked with stray violence.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party-led alliance-sponsored indefinite blockade rolled into the seventh straight week and 72-hour general strike continued for the second day on Monday being marked with stray incidents of vandalism, crude bomb blasts and arsons. The blockade and strike continued to disrupt public lives, mostly outlaying districts, with small number of buses operating on long routes during daytime across the country. Most educational institutes remained closed. Trains were running late behind their schedules as the authorities have taken precautions following several incidents of derailment due to the acts of sabotage. Ferry services remained unaffected by the blockade. Law enforcers continued to arrest opposition activists, including 30 in the capital, 36 in Noakhali, 13 in Bogra, three in Barisal, four in Chittagong and several others at places.

Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, the BNP-backed student organisation, on Monday called a three-day strike at educational institutions across the country from today protesting at persecution and killing of BNP leaders and activists by the law enforcers. In the capital, plying of all modes of transports remained almost normal and kitchen markets, shops, shopping malls, offices, banks and business establishments remained open. Miscreant hurled a firebomb at Kishoreganj Express train near Amirganj station in Narsingdi at about 8:30pm. No casualties were reported, said New Age correspondent. In the capital, at least 15 people were injured, mostly by splinters, as a crude bomb went off in an anti-blockade procession led by shipping minister Shajahan Khan in Gulshan-2 intersection at about 12:30pm when the procession was on the way to besiege BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia’s office.

Ruling Awami League activists from the procession also vandalised a market protesting against the blast. Earlier on February 9, crude bombs were exploded near cars of commerce minister Tofail Ahmed and environment and forests minister Anwar Hossain Manju. A Borak Paribahan bus was set on fire at Dholaipar in the capital at about 8:15pm. A bus and a car were set on fire at Badda on Monday afternoon and in Gulshan Ladies Club area at evening respectively. Crude bombs were exploded near foreign ministry and Gulshan areas. Witnesses said that Islami Chhatra Shibir, student wing of the Jamaat-e-Islami, a key ally of BNP, brought out a flash procession at Budda in the capital. New Age correspondent in Sylhet reported that four people, including two minor boys, were injured when unidentified people hurled crude bombs at a CNG-run auto-rickshaw in Sylhet’s Mirer Maidan area on Monday afternoon. The injured boys were rushed to Sylhet Osmani Medical College Hospital.

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