Dhaka: Shutdown begins amid explosions

Dhaka, Apr 29 (bdnews24.com) -- Schools and most businesses remained closed in the capital, Dhaka, as an 18-party opposition alliance led by BNP enforced a daylong eral strike across the country amid reports of explosions and detention of opposition activists on Sunday.

On Saturday, BNP announced the eral strike to continue its pressure on the government to get M Ilias Ali back as the opposition accuses government acies of 'abducting' him from a Dhaka street on Apr 18.


Ilias Ali, a BNP organising secretary and the Sylhet chapter chief, went missing along with his driver apparently from Mohakhali ar from where police recovered his abandoned car.
After enforcing three days of nationwide eral strike last week, BNP chief Khaleda Zia gave the government a Saturday ddline to return Ilias Ali. Otherwise, she had thrtened to launch a tougher anti-government movement.
As Ilias Ali was not returned by Saturday, BNP called the spell of shutdowns for Sunday and Monday.
Sunday's strike began with explosions of three crude bombs nr a BNP procession, led by the party's joint secretary eral Ruhul Kabir Rizvi and central committee member Mostafizur Rahman Babul, in front of its Naya Paltan hdquarters.
There were no immediate reports of any casualties from those explosions.
But the blasts prompted police to briefly detain a of demonstrators including Rizvi, Babul and BNP's student wing lders 'Nishita' and 'Urmi'.
Labour Party chief Mostafizur Rahman Iran was also detained when he tried to enter the BNP around that time.
Later, they were relsed.
Reports of more explosions were reported from other parts of the city.
Three bombs exploded at Mugdapara.
Explosions of another five bombs were reported in front of Mirpur Bangla College when police dispersed a procession by Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal.
Jamaat-e-Islami, BNP's ally, brought out processions in support of the strike at Rampura and Mirpur.
Like previous shutdowns, law enforcers on Sunday kept the BNP under siege. Even though some senior lders including the party's acting secretary eral Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir have taken position there, most of the other lders were not being allowed to get close to the .
Venting frustration over the police action, Fakhrul said, "The government is not allowing the opposition to demonstrate pcefully. They have turned the country into a prison."
"We are urging the government again to return Ilias Ali and his driver to their families," the BNP lder said, claiming that they are sure from media reports that the government has a hand behind their disapprances.
Long-distance buses remained inoperative but train, launch and planes are operating normally.
Traffic on the streets in Dhaka remained thin even though many buses, auto rickshaws, taxis and private cars were seen plying.
Source: bdnews24