Dhaka, Oct 19: Half-day strikes were observed in two towns of Bangladesh to protest arrests of political activists in a army crackdown against violence and lawlessness in the country. Shops and business establishments remained closed in Khulna town in the strike called by the opposition Awami League to protest arrest of party's district secretary and former whip of parliament Mostafa Rashid Shuja and other party leaders.
Army also arrested Abdul Gafar Biswas, a former lawmaker belonging to BNP from the divisional town. While Shuja and others were sent to jail, Biswas was hospitalized following the arrest. A strike sponsored by local leaders of Bangladesh National party was also observed in Gaibanada in the country's northwest, where a number of local leaders of BNP were rounded up. According to reports, the army also rounded up several elected ward commissioners of Dhaka and Chittagong Municipal Corporations triggering panic.
The army action has come in for attack from many quarters including from former military ruler H M Ershad, who said the government-deployed army as it failed to contain terrorists.
Bureau Report