DHAKA: The final phase of 48-hour hartal, called by Jamaat-e-Islami, ended across the country on Monday morning amid stray incidents while the daylong hartal called by BNP-led 20-party alliance, began from this morning.
The alliance is enforced the nationwide strike protesting restoring parliament authority to impeach judges.
In support of hartal, Jamaat-shibir men and Chhatra Dal broight out separate processions in Moghbazar, Rayerbagh, Demra and Motijheel areas of the capital in the morning.
This is the first hartal of the BNP-led alliance after the January 5 general elections.
On Wednesday, the parliament passed the much-talked-about ‘Constitution (16th Amendment) Bill, 2014’ without any opposition, paving the path for establishing its power to remove Supreme Court judges.
Earlier, Jamaat observed the strike, from 6:00am Sunday and till 6:00am Monday, protesting Supreme Court verdict of war crimes convict Jamaat leader Delawar Hossain Sayedee.
Along with the capital city, law enforcement agencies’ members have been deployed at the strategic points of the divisional cities and district towns. Border Guard Bangladesh personnel have been deployed in the city since Saturday night.
Hartal scenarios were apparently seemed relaxed inside the capital. Rain has been pouring since the morning. Commuters, though considerably low, were seen traveling to their workplaces.
Public transports were seen plying as usual around the city. No long-route bus left the city’s Gabtali, Sayedabad, and Mohakhali bus terminals. However, no private vehicles were seen moving.
No demonstration and picketing by Jamaat-Shibir men were reported during early hours of the hartal across the city.
Jamaat observed the first phase of the hartal from 6:00am Thursday to 6:00am Friday.
On last Wednesday, Supreme Court commuted death sentenced to Sayedee in two charges of crimes against humanity during the 1971 Liberation War and awarded him with imprisonment until death differing with the International Crimes Tribunal’s verdict of capital punishment.
Later, acting Ameer of the party Moqbul Ahmed and acting secretary general Dr Shafiqur Rahman announced the programs when the ICT handed down the verdict.
BDST: 0835 HRS, SEP 22, 2014
