Jamaat brings out processions in Dhaka, Chattogram to enforce hartal
Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami brought out processions in Dhaka and Chattogram this morning to enforce the hartal the party called in protest of the arrest of its chief, activists, the "unjust arrests" and obstruction of its activists during Saturday (28 October) rally.
The Gulshan unit of Jamaat organised a march in Dhaka to enforce its strike on Sunday (29 October).
It was led by Jamaat leaders Abu Faisal Khan, Mahmudur Rahman Azad and Abu Junaid.
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Processions were brought out in Mohammadpur, Uttar Khan, Rupnagar, Pallabi and Uttara areas of the capital.
Dhaka Metropolitan South Jamaat Secretary Shafiqul Islam Masood led a procession march in Sabujbagh.
Jamaat brought out a procession in Mirpur in support of the strike. It was led by Muhammad Mahfuzur Rahman, Shura member of the Central Majlis of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and assistant secretary of Dhaka Metropolitan North unit of the party.
The Khilgaon and Paltan units of Jamaat also organized a protest march and rally in support of today's hartal; the procession was led by Maulana Abu Fahim, a Shura member of the party's central working committee.
Meanwhile, Jamaat also held processions in Cumilla.
Public transport in the capital has been seen in reduced numbers due to the strike - bringing suffering to daily commuters.
A few buses that were running had a more than usual number of passengers on them. ManyCNG-powered autorickshaws were seen charging more than double-triple the fare.
Dhaka Road Transport Owners Association has announced that public transport will continue despite the nationwide strike.
Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami announced to hold a dawn-to-dusk countrywide hartal on Sunday protesting the "unjust arrests" and obstruction of its activists in Saturday's rally, coinciding with the strike announced earlier by the BNP.
Acting Secretary General of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Maulana ATM Masum declared the hartal in a statement on Saturday, saying the government had arrested more than 300 leaders and activists of the party from different parts of the country to thwart Jamaat's programme at the Shapla Chattar in the capital.
"In protest against the arrest of activists, including Shafiqur Rahman, and the police's obstruction of the mass meeting announced by Jamaat on 28 October, and the unjust arrest of the leaders and activists who came to attend the mass meeting, we are announcing a peaceful morning-evening hartal across the country tomorrow," he said.
