RANGPUR: BNP observed daylong hartal in eight districts of Rangpur division on Wednesday peacefully protesting the arrest of BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.

However, inter-district bus services remained stopped. Chhatra Shibir brought out a procession in the first hour of hartal. Shops were seen shuttered down.

BNP men were hardly seen on the streets of the divisional city during the hartal hours.

Large numbers of police were remained alert at strategic points of eight districts. No untoward incidents were reported.

Earlier on Tuesday, division BNP organizing secretary Asadul Habib Dulu made the announcement in a press conference in Barobari area of Lalmonirhat district.

The party leaders and activists would observe the hartal from 6:00am to 6:00pm, he added.

Earlier, Thakurgaon BNP started observing hartal in the district immediately after Detective Branch (DB) of police detained BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Tuesday afternoon.

DB police arrested Fakhrul moments after his motorcade went out Jatiya Press Club on Tuesday afternoon.

First he was taken to the DB office at city’s Kakrail Road at 4:20pm and later shifted to DB Headquarters.

Before the arrest, the BNP senior leader briefed the media.

BDST: 1950 HRS, JAN 07, 2015