Thursday, May 02, 2024
The second day of the countrywide 48-hour blockade, called by BNP, Jamaat and like-minded opposition parties, is underway.
The ongoing blockade will end at 6am Friday.
The presence of public transport on Dhaka roads seemed usual despite heightened tension and fear of violence.
Guardians were seen rushing their children to their respective schools safely as final exams were starting in many educational institutions.
Rickshaws are dominating Dhaka streets while a few private vehicles are seen plying the streets.
In Chuadanga, leaders and activists of BNP and its associate bodies brought out a procession in support of the blockade on Chuadanga-Jhenaidah road at Rail Bazar area of the district town in the morning.
They also hurled brick chips targeting some vehicles passing through the area.
Multiple cases of arson violence have been reported in places in Dhaka and across the country since Wednesday evening, on the first day of the 48-hour road-rail-waterways blockade.
On November 6, BNP, Jamaat and like-minded opposition parties announced the latest blockade across the country from Wednesday morning.
The opposition parties gave a day’s break from its action programme on Tuesday as BNP observes November 7 as the ‘National Revolution and Solidarity Day’.
The latest spell of agitation was announced on the last day of the opposition’s previous 48-hour nationwide blockade which was marked by incidents of violence, including clashes with police, vandalising and burning vehicles.
Earlier last week, the opposition’s three-day countrywide blockade saw clashes and widespread burning and vandalising vehicles, leaving four people — three in Kishoreganj and one in Sylhet — killed and over three dozen vehicles either burned or vandalised.
