AL's 'lockdown' sees sporadic violence

Dhaka and other parts of the country witnessed a largely normal day on Thursday despite the Awami League's call for a nationwide 'lockdown,' with only a few isolated incidents reported.

Offices, markets, and shops operated almost as usual, while traffic movement in the capital was less than usual. Many educational institutions remained closed on the day.

However, a number of incidents of violence and sabotage were reported across the city. The central office of the AL was set on fire around 1:00pm by a group of 10 to 15 people protesting the lockdown.

Eyewitnesses said the group used wood, paper cartons, and other materials to ignite the fire and reignited it around 1:15pm when the flames subsided.

Earlier in the day, at least five vehicles were set ablaze in Dhaka, Munshiganj, Tangail, and Gopalganj, mostly between 12:10am and 3:30am, in the lead-up to the "Dhaka Lockdown" programme announced online by the AL.

Rozina Akter, duty officer at the Fire Service control room, confirmed the incidents.

In Dhaka, a bus and a human hauler bus were set on fire near Pallabi and Kamalapur Railway Station, respectively, while a bus in Tangail and a truck in Munshiganj were also damaged. No casualties were reported.

Police detained a teenage boy from Dhanmondi-32 around 10:15am in connection with the unrest, confirmed Senior Assistant Commissioner Shah Mostafa Tarikuzzaman of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP).

Long-distance bus services from Sayedabad terminal operated on a limited scale, leaving many passengers stranded at Mohakhali and Gabtoli bus terminals in the morning, though services returned to normal by the evening.

Violence also reached Dhaka University (DU) campus, where two crude bombs exploded in front of the Teacher-Student Centre (TSC) at around 9:15pm on Wednesday, leaving one person injured and a motorcycle damaged.

The injured, Jahangir Alam Chakladar, 48, received treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital. Inspector Md Faruk of the DMCH police outpost said the injuries were minor. The blasts, suspected to have been thrown from Suhrawardy Udyan, targeted a documentary screening organised by DUCSU at TSC.

The explosions sparked protests across the campus, with student bodies including DUCSU, Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD), Jatiya Chhatra Shakti (JCS), and several left-leaning groups bringing out processions and positioning themselves at various campus points for vigilance.

DUCSU Vice President Sadik Kayem said, "Those behind the blasts must be identified and arrested. Students will resist any attempts by banned Chhatra League or Jubo League members on campus."

Meanwhile, Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir staged a rally in the capital to protest alleged sabotage by the banned AL and its student wing, the Chhatra League, across the country. The Dhaka Metropolitan unit of Shibir organised the rally, which began at Dhaka College and concluded at Raju Memorial Sculpture on the DU campus.

Zahidul Islam, central president of Chhatra Shibir, addressed the rally, emphasising justice for the July massacres and legal recognition of the July Charter.

He said, "Through the July Uprising, Bangladesh is witnessing the dawn of a new era. The nation's youth have awakened with the dream of building a prosperous, fascism-free country. But justice for the July massacre remains stalled. The government has failed to deliver a single verdict despite numerous eyewitness accounts."

The AL's shutdown call coincides with the upcoming verdict in the International Crimes Tribunal case against the deposed former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and two others for crimes against humanity during the July 1971 uprising.

The tribunal, headed by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Majumder with Justices Md Shafiul Alam Mahmood and Md Mohitul Haque Enam Chowdhury, is scheduled to announce the verdict on Monday, 17 November.

Despite the sporadic violence, daily life largely continued, reflecting poor response to the banned party's lockdown call.

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