DHAKA: The 48-hour countrywide hartal, enforced by Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami protesting its Ameer Motiur Rahman Nizami’s death sentence, is underway.

Jamaat marked the first phase of the strike across the country amid stray incidents of picketing, beginning from 6:00am Thursday to 6:00am Friday. Jamaat-Shibir men blasted cocktails and set fire to several vehicles in many districts including capital Dhaka.

Besides, after the second phase, from 6:00am Sunday to 6:00am Tuesday, the party again set to observe hartal on Thursday protesting its financer Mir Quasem Ali’s death sentence.

However, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) personnel are deployed across the country to avert any untoward situation during the hartal.

Khulna city is out of purview of the hartal for Monday for the second test cricket match between Bangladesh and visiting Zimbabwe.

BDST: 0955 HRS, NOV 03, 2014