Countrywide dawn-to-dusk hartal tomorrow, BNP declares as rally 'foiled by police'

The BNP has declared a countrywide dawn-to-dusk hartal for Sunday (29 October) to protest police action on the party's Nayapaltan rally today which left numerous BNP leaders and activists injured, according to party's Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir earlier suspended the "grand" rally in the capital's Nayapaltan and announced the hartal today (28 October). The rally was suspended at 2:15pm as police fired rubber bullets, flash grenades and lobbed tear gas shells, forcing the BNP leaders and activists to leave the rally venue.

The hartal will be observed from 6:00am to 6:00pm.

Earlier, the party started the rally around 1pm. 

However, as clashes around the capital – centring the AL and BNP rallies – began to intensify, BNP leaders paused their speeches during the programme at Nayapaltan, before going on to suspend the programme.

The BNP leaders also set fire on papers on the streets protesting the police attack.

A tense situation has been prevailing in Dhaka's Nayapaltan area amid huge presence of police, RAB, members of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB).

Many BNP activists, as well as reporters from Ittefaq and Kalbela, sustained injuries in a series of clashes with police which began earlier today.

The BNP organised the rally to press home for the government's resignation, elections under a non-partisan, neutral government, and the release of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia.

From rally to battlefield

Dhaka's Nayapaltan turned into a battlefield following a clash between BNP men and members of the law enforcement agencies on Saturday afternoon centering the party's scheduled rally, the UNB reports.

Members of the law enforcement agencies a reportedly used flash grenades and tear shells to disperse BNP men who retaliated with brickbats.

The clash was going on as of filing this report at 3:20pm, UNB correspondent reported from the spot.

Chased by the police, the BNP men took position in different alleys and streets in Nayapaltan area from there they were pelting brickbats, stones and other objects targeting police and others.

Kakrail clash

Around 11:30am, a clash broke out between the leaders and activists of the ruling Awami League and BNP at the capital's Kakrail Masjid Intersection on Saturday.

BNP activists and police engaged in chase and counter-chase, with law enforcers firing tear gas shells. 

The clash led to the Kakrail police box and a car being set on fire in the area.

Additional Commissioner of Detective Branch (DB) Harun-or-Rashid said that some BNP activists attacked police in front of the Judges' Residence Complex in Dhaka's Kakrail. 

"Some policemen were injured. Furthermore, they carried out an attack, vandalised and set some vehicles on fire in front of IDB Bhaban at Kakrail," he said while talking with reporters in front of Kakrail Church. 

"We will identify those involved and take appropriate action," he said, noting that police have video footage of the incidents.

At present, BGB members are deployed at the Kakrail Church crossing.

According to eyewitnesses, the clash was sparked when a convoy led by former Gazipur mayor Mohammad Jahangir Alam was en route to Gulistan through Moghbazar. In the meantime, BNP leaders and workers had already gathered along the route from Kakrail to the Arambagh junction. 

The bus carrying Awami League activists was blocked from proceeding to Gulistan, sparking a clash between the two groups.

*Correction: The article mentioned that the hartal would be held across the country and was changed to only the capital. The hartal will, however, be observed across the country.