BNP will hold a 48-hour blockade program across the country from Sunday (November 12) in the fourth phase as per the previous announcement for one-point demand of resignation of the government.
The party will carry out this program on road, rail and sea from 6 am to 6 am on Tuesday.
At the same time, this program will be held by other like-minded parties and alliances of BNP, including Ganatantra Forum, 12-party alliance, nationalist like-minded alliance, LDP, Gono Forum, Gono Adhikar Parishad, Jatiyo Ganatanatrik Andolon. Jamaat-e-Islami has announced the same program though not in simultaneous movement. Apart from this, the AB Party has expressed its support for the blockade program.
However, before the blockade began, at least eight buses were set on fire and cocktail explosions took place in the capital on Saturday (November 11) night. Although no one was injured in these incidents, the police could not immediately identify those involved.
Rashed bin Khalid, the duty officer of the control room of the fire service headquarters, said that miscreants set fire to a red-green transport bus near the Arambagh police box in the capital on Saturday night at 8:20 p.m.
Within 10 minutes, another bus called Gabtali Link was set on fire in Gabtali at 8:30 pm. The bus was parked on the opposite side of Gabtali police outpost. It had no passengers.
In both the incidents, fire service personnel went and doused the fire. Apart from this, miscreants escaped by setting fire to another bus of Time Control transport in front of Sundarban Square Market in Gulistan at around 9 pm.
Another bus of Anabil Paribahan was set on fire at Jatrabari intersection around 9:30 pm. A passenger named Abdul Jabbar (40) was burnt. He is a rickshaw puller by profession.
Miscreants set fire to Prajapati Paribahan opposite Kafrul Police Station in Mirpur at 11:38 PM. Later, two fire service units went and brought the fire under control.
Two buses were set on fire at Taltala in Agargaon at 10:30 pm and in front of Rupnagar police station at 12 pm.
At 10:45 a.m. miscreants set fire to a Boishakhi Paribahan bus in front of Pangu Hospital.
Apart from this, there was an incident of arson in a pickup at Jugitala, Joydevpur, Gazipur around 9:30 pm.
Earlier on Saturday at 7:10 pm, two cocktail explosions took place in Farmgate. Someone threw a cocktail on the road in front of Babul Tower in Farmgate and ran away. No one was injured in this incident. But panic spread around.
On October 28, BNP called a nationwide hartal a day after the grand rally of BNP was held at Nayapaltan in the capital. After that, like-minded parties and alliances including BNP held three rounds of blockade program in two weeks.
A blockade program was called for three consecutive days from October 31 in the first phase, for 48 hours from November 5 in the second phase and for 48 hours from November 8.
In this hartal and three-phase blockade program, bus-trucks were set on fire in various districts including the capital. Many vehicles were also vandalized. The police and RAB have already announced separate rewards for the surrender of these saboteurs.
Apart from this, the law and order forces are carrying out cases and arrests across the country on the charges of sabotage. Police said they are on high alert and strict to prevent vandalism. No one involved in sabotage will be spared.