Arson attack marks blockade; hartal underway in Dhaka, Khulna

At least six persons were injured in a bus arson in Barisal early Wednesday during the countrywide non-stop blockade enforced by Bangladesh Nationalist party-led alliance. Simultaneously, a 48-hour general strike sponsored by BNP-led coalition in Dhaka and Khulna divisions since 6:00am on Wednesday were underway without any major incidents, witnesses said. The shutdown was called on Tuesday protesting the incidents of extrajudicial killing, forced disappearance and arrest of the leaders and activists of BNP and its allies, United News of Bangladesh reported. Our Barisal correspondent reported, miscreants hurled a petrol bomb at a Kuakata-bound bus of Abdullah Paribahan that had started from Syedabad in Dhaka.

The bus came under arson attack around 1:00am when it reached Turya Filling Station near Barisal University, said Rezaul Islam, officer-in-charge of Bandar police station. The attack left six persons injured, of them, three were admitted to Barisal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College and Hospital, he said. In the capital, the number of commuter buses was thinner leaving the office goers in huge sufferings, witnesses said. Rickshaws and CNG-run auto-rickshaws dominated the city streets. Most of the private vehicles were kept off the roads and that inter-district buses did not depart Dhaka. Additional policemen were deployed in the key points of the capital. In Khulna, no activities of pro-hartal supporters were seen as of writing this story at 9:50am. Police and Border Guard Bangladesh personnel were patrolling the city streets. No long-route bus moved from the divisional city. The train communications were nearly normal.

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