More clashes, arson as fresh 48-hour blockade begins

Scattered clashes and arson attacks marred the opening day of the third phase of 48-hour road-rail-water blockade enforced by the BNP-Jamaat and their allies as law enforcers continued to arrest opposition leaders and activists. 

In Dhaka, three buses were set on fire on Wednesday, including the one torched in front of Border Guard Bangladesh headquarters in the capital's Dhanmondi area at around 9pm.

A person has been detained promptly over the incident. Two units from Mohammadpur Fire Station worked to douse the flames on the bus of Ramzan Paribahan.

Another bus was set on fire in Banani in the evening.

Unidentified people set a bus on fire at the Tantibazar intersection in Old Dhaka. Two firefighting units of Sadarghat Fire Station rushed to the spot around 7:33pm when the bus was set on fire, said Tanha Bin Zasim, station officer of the Fire Service and Civil Defence Control Room.

Outside Dhaka, a covered van of a courier service was set on fire in Matiranga upazila of Khagrachhari on Wednesday morning while Jamaat activists clashed with police in Bogura.

Bogura City Jamaat Ameer Abidur Rahman said that police fired teargas and rubber bullets at their peaceful demonstration, leaving 10 of their activists injured.

However, Bogura Additional Superintendent of Police Snigdha Akhtar said that Jamaat activists tried to block the highway clandestinely. When police tried to stop them, they threw crude bombs. Police then fired tear gas and rubber bullets to control the situation.

Ahead of this round of the countrywide 48-hour blockade, a parked bus in the capital's Malibagh area was torched on Tuesday night, as well as one in Gazipur.

Scattered rallies were staged in Dhaka and outside the capital by the BNP-Jamaat and other affiliated parties.

The BNP's central office in Dhaka's Nayapaltan remained locked on Wednesday. There was no activity by the party's activists there, but police were seen standing guard.

While no long-distance buses were running from Dhaka, traffic within the city has increased slightly compared to the blockades of the past few days. Reports of increased traffic in cities such as Barisal, Chattogram, Rajshahi, and Khulna have also been reported.

Arrests continue

BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi held an online press conference on Wednesday afternoon, claiming that one of their leaders was killed and 515 others were arrested in the last 24 hours, from Tuesday afternoon till Wednesday afternoon.

Rizvi alleged that "local Awami League goons" brutally beat to death BNP leader Mohammad Riaz in the Mohammadpur upazila of Magura district on Tuesday evening.

He further stated that 12 people, including a journalist, have been killed across the country since 28 October, and 9,466 activists have been arrested.

Meanwhile, Jamaat-e-Islami said that 75 of their activists had been arrested in the last 24 hours. They said that a total of 1,872 Jamaat leaders and activists had been detained nationwide since October 28, and that three had been killed.

In the online press conference, Rizvi denounced a statement of Mujibul Haque Chowdhury, the Chambal Union Awami League convener in Chattogram's Banshkhali upazila, who reportedly made a "public threat to physically assault US Ambassador to Bangladesh Peter Haas".

Rizvi said, "The way the Awami League leaders, MPs, and ministers are threatening Peter Haas is a threat to our country. US Ambassador Peter Haas and US embassy officials have expressed concern about their safety due to the Awami League MPs' and ministers' contempt and constant threats."

The Awami League is ignoring the international community, human rights organisations, and even the United Nations to stay in power, he added.

On 6 November, BNP, Jamaat and like-minded parties announced a fresh 48-hour road-rail-waterways blockade across the country beginning from Wednesday.

Arrests, arson attacks on vehicles and clashes marked the previous two phases of the blockade — one for three days starting from 31 October and the other for two days starting from 5 November.