DHAKA: Stray incidents of vandalism and cocktail explosions in capital marked the morning of first phase of Jamaat-e-Islami’s three-day hartal, which is underway across the country Thursday protesting death penalty to the party chief Matiur Rahman Nizami. 

The Jamaat men along with the leaders and activists of Shibir, student wing of Jamaat-e-Islami, vandalized two CNG auto rickshaws in city’s Fakirapool around 11:30am.

The pro-hartal activists, however, also blasted at least three cocktails at that time, sources added.

Witnesses said a procession, from which Jamaat-Shibir attacked, was led by Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami working council member Dr Helaluddin.

Paltan Thana Jamaat Ameer Mokarram Hossain, Shibir president of the same unit Mostafijur Rahman Babu and Shibir office secretary (Dhaka West) office secretary Sohel Rana Mithu also attended the procession.

On Wednesday, Jamaat-e-Islami announced the hartal for Thursday, Sunday and Monday minutes after International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) sentenced its chief Matiur Rahman Nizami to capital punishment on charges of crimes against humanity during the 1971 Liberation War.

BDST: 1234 HRS, OCT 29, 2014