Massive violence in Bangladesh during opposition's general strike

by Special Correspondent
June 27, 2010

http://www.weeklyblitz.net/823/massive-violence-in-bangladesh-during-oppositions

After 42 months, for the first time, Bangladeshis are witnessing a day-long general strike called by main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party in protest of government's failures in addressing national issues as well as repression of opposition politicians.

Government has deployed thousands of members of various law enforcing and intelligence agencies on the street to combat this opposition program. Meanwhile, hundreds of youths belonging to the ruling party are already on the street to 'face' the opposition's general strike. General Secretary of the ruling party, Syed Ashraful Islam told reporters that, the government is not responsible for the actions of these people, who are on the street for combating the general strike.

According to our reporters, police on Sunday detained 61 people, including senior BNP leader Mirza Abbas, Shamsher Mobin Chowdhury, Annie and two advisers of opposition leader Khaleda Zia, from the capital during the hartal hours. Additional Deputy Commissioner Walid Hossain said that a total of 61 people have been arrested from different parts of the capital till 11:00 am.

He said Mirza Abbas was detained from in front of his Shahjahanpur residence at about 10:45 am and was taken to Detective Branch headquarters.

Meanwhile, Shamsher Mobin Chowdhury, BNP vice president [former Bangladeshi ambassador in Washington], was picked up at 12:15 pm. Police said they arrested Shamsher as he was trying to make the situation unrest by provoking the party activists.

While opposition's general strike is continuing in the country, a senior leader of Bangladesh Nationalist Party [BNP], Chowdhury Alam is missing for last two days. According to family sources, Alam was picked up by law enforcing agencies on Friday from his residence. On Saturday, police denied that Chowdhury Alam was never arrested or picked up by any of the law enforcing agencies in the country. It is feared by the family members of Chowdhury Alam that, he might have been in such case picked up and murdered by any intelligence agency.

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