The 48-hour blockade program of the opposition has resumed today from 6 am on Wednesday after a one-day break. At this time, BNP has called for total blockade on the roads, railways and waterways of the country. In the previous two rounds of blockade, long-distance buses almost did not run. So RAB and police have taken special initiative to keep the bus movement normal.
BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi urged the countrymen including leaders and workers to make this program a success in a virtual press conference on Tuesday afternoon.
There were reports of picketing and burning of vehicles in some parts of the country yesterday as well, amid the third phase of the blockade.
Yesterday evening in Tongi, Gazipur, the leaders and workers of Thana BNP and its affiliates held a torch procession on the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway. At this time two cocktails were detonated. Apart from this, miscreants set fire to a bus parked on the side of Mauna to Burmi regional road in Gazipur’s Sreepur on Monday night. However, no casualty was reported.
Police and RAB arrests are continuing across the country, including the capital, around the blockade called by BNP and like-minded parties. BNP claimed that besides arresting, the government has now started disappearing its leaders and workers. However, the police said that the police operation against vandals and violence will continue. Besides, RAB and police have taken special initiative to keep the communication system of the whole country normal with the capital.
RAB-Police are active in driving the bus
RAB has offered to run long-distance buses under their watch. It is supposed to come into effect from today. Police held a meeting with leaders of Bus Owners Association and Workers Union in Syedabad yesterday to prevent long-distance bus movement and arsonists.
Dhaka District Bus, Minibus and Coach Road Transport Owners Association General Secretary Kazi Salim Sarwar presided over the meeting as the Chief Guest, DMP Wari Division Deputy Commissioner of Police (DC) Ziaul Hasan Talukdar.
Commander Khandaker Al Moin, director of RAB’s law and media wing, said yesterday, “If the local or area-based public representatives, or those who are respectable citizens in our country, all work together and cooperate with us, then I think that identifying all these criminals will be possible.” It will be easy.’
The arrest continues
From October 28 to November 6, 112 cases of violence and vandalism have been registered in 37 police stations of the capital. Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has arrested 1,636 people in these cases. But BNP claims, this number is more. Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said in the press conference that 8 thousand 951 people have been arrested till yesterday and 496 people have been arrested in the last 24 hours. Ruhul Kabir Rizvi complained that the government is again missing the leaders and workers of the opposition party in Damate.
BNP Vice Chairman Shahjahan and five leaders are in jail
BNP vice chairman and former member of parliament of Noakhali-4 seat in a case of sabotage. Shahjahan along with five convicted leaders have been sent to jail. Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Mohammad Jasim gave this order to send him to jail yesterday.
The other leaders are former Kushtia-II Constituency Member of Parliament and General Secretary of Bangladesh Jatiya Party Mohammad Ahsan Habib Lincoln, BNP Village Government Affairs Co-Editor Mohammad Belal Ahmed, Co-Publication Editor Mohammad Shamimur Rahman Shamim and BNP leader Monirul Haque.
These five leaders want bail on the condition of surrendering through lawyers in the morning and appealing to the high court. After the hearing, the court rejected the bail application and ordered to send him to jail.
