Report in The Daily Star, Nov 08, 2023
After a one-day pause, BNP-Jamaat is going to enforce a fresh 48-hour nationwide blockade of roads, railways, and waterways starting 6:00am today amid the ongoing arrest spree of BNP leaders and activists.
A bus was set on fire in the capital’s Malibagh area last night.
Receiving the information at 11:03pm, two fire engines rushed to the spot and were trying to douse the fire, said Talha Bin Zasim, an officer at Fire Service Media Cell.
“The bus parked on the road,” he said.
The BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami separately declared the third blockade on Monday, the last day of the second 48-hour blockade.
Earlier, the parties also enforced a 72-hour blockade starting October 31, demanding the resignation of the government and the upcoming general election under a non-party administration.
Between October 31 and November 6, arsonists torched at least 65 buses, lorries, covered vans, CNG-three wheelers and motorcycles. Besides, they also set fire to one Awami League upazila office, two commercial showrooms, and a police box, according to Fire Service and Civil Defence.
Meanwhile, law enforcers arrested 8,951 opposition party men, including several top leaders and activists, and filed 148 cases across the country between October 28 and yesterday afternoon, BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi claimed at a virtual press briefing yesterday.
He added that 496 party leaders and workers were detained and 16 cases were filed against 1,728 named and many unnamed party activists in the 24 hours till yesterday evening.
According to DMP, in the ten days starting on October 28, it arrested 1,636 persons and filed 112 cases for acts of violence and breaking the law. Of them, 82 were arrested on Monday, and 10 cases were lodged the same day.
Yesterday, the Police Headquarters declared a bounty of Tk 20,000 for helping police arrest an arsonist with proper evidence. The announcement came a day after DMP commissioner made a similar announcement.
https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/politics/news/bnp-jamaat-enforce-2-day-countrywide-blockade-3464326
