Dhaka: All offices, business establishments, banks, insurance and markets in the capital have opened for 48-hour strike called by BNP-Jamaat and like-minded parties demanding the fall of the government and elections under the caretaker government.
On Monday (November 20), such images were seen in Mirpur, Farmgate, Banglamotor, Shahbagh, Purana Paltan, Baitul Mukarram, Motijheel, Nawabpur and Bangshal in the capital.
Mirpur-10 Shah Ali Market and nearby markets opened in the morning like every day. All kinds of shops, business establishments, banks, insurance offices in Begum Rokeya Sarani area have opened. Building materials rod, cement, tiles shop has also opened.
During this time, we talked to 60-year-old Abul Kasham who came to buy tiles in Mirpur’s Kazipara. He said that last Sunday (November 19) he spoke to the shopkeeper over the phone and said that the shop would be open. So I came I have picked up the goods in the car, I will return home.
Long queues of people going abroad have been seen at Banglamotor since morning. They are waiting for medical checkup. The presence of people is increasing as the day progresses.
Ashiqul Islam, who wants to go to Qatar, said, I will go to Qatar, I will do medical. All preparations are done. I came from Manikganj. There was no problem coming. Cars are also available. But passenger cars are less than two.
Shops, business establishments, offices around Paltan have seen crowds as before.
All kinds of offices, business establishments, shops, banks have opened as usual in Motijheel, famous for Bankpara. Customer service is also coming as usual. The rate of customer service requests has also increased with time.
Small businesses opened as usual during the strike. Clothes, souvenirs, books, fruits, tea, beers, beedi shops have accumulated on the pavement. The bread shop on Kunipara Footpath of Farmgate is crowded as usual.
Shop employee Farooq Ahmed joked that we have come to an agreement with the strike. The strike and our work, eating and drinking will go together. The car can also be driven as needed.
All the markets and shops in Vijayanagar, Nayapaltan area are open on hartal. A couple of automobile showrooms were seen partially closed.
All the auto parts shops in Vijaynagar are open since morning. But buyers are less.
Bakibul Hasan Chowdhury Sumon, manager of BM Enterprise, said there is no problem in keeping the shop open. But buyers are less.
He said that the reason for the decrease is the office of the political parties in this area. There is a political agenda. This is why people don’t want to bring cars. That’s why sales are decreasing.
All the surrounding markets are open in front of the BNP office in Nayapaltan. Part of the shutters of a couple of shops have been kept closed.
Noor Islam, manager of the wholesale cloth store Maliha Palace of Gazi Bhavan shopping complex, said that the shop has to be kept open amid the strike-blockade. I look forward to the two seasons of winter and fasting month throughout the year. In this winter month, if the shop is closed due to hartal-blockade, the business will have to be counted as loss. That’s why to save the business, no matter what the strike-blockade, the shop should be kept open.
Bangladesh Time: 1646 hours, November 20, 2023
ZA/RB
