DHAKA: The second day of the fresh 72-hour nationwide hartal, called by the 20-party alliance, is progressing across the country since Monday morning amid stray incidents of violence.

The shutdown has started from 6:00am Sunday and will continue till 6:00am Wednesday along with nationwide road-rail-waterway blockade for indefinite period.

In capital, at least six people were injured as miscreants blasted four cocktails in Gulshan and in front of foreign ministry around 1:00pm.

Among the injured, one is in critical condition and rushed him to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital.

During the hartal hours, a huge number of vehicles are seen plying the city thoroughfares.

In Barisal, metropolitan unit of BNP brought out a possession and set fire on Badhiar road of the metropolitan around 11:00am.

The leaders and activists of the 20-party alliance brought out procession also blasted two cocktails there.

In Noakhali, the blockaders vandalized 10 vehicles, including minibus, at different areas of the district.

Sonaimuri Thana OC Ashraf-ul-Islam confirmed the matter to banglanews.

In Bogra, miscreants set fire to a passenger bus at inter-district bus stand in town’s Thonthonia area around 6:15am.

At least 149 people, including 27 from the capital, were detained by police from Barisal, Satkhira, Chittagong, Khulna, Chandpur, Dinajpur, Noakhali and Jessore districts of the country. 

On Sunday, the High Court (HC) asked the government to take initiatives against the acts of violence and sabotage unleashed during hartals and blockades.

Meanwhile, Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and its equivalent examinations of Monday have been postponed due to the hartal.

Earlier, BNP Joint Secretary General Salahuddin Ahmed announced the fourth spell of shutdown issuing a statement on Saturday.

The shutdown was announced in demand of holding free and fair general election under a nonpartisan government and releasing all detained leaders and political prisoners of the alliance, it adds.

In addition to the hartal, a nationwide blockade is underway for indefinite period since Khaleda announced the blockade on January 5 protesting government’s bar to obverse the ‘democracy killing day’ and her ‘confinement’ at Gulshan political office.

BDST: 0906 HRS, FEB 16, 2015/Update : 1535 HRS