Dhaka, June 12 (bdnews24.com) Mobile courts have arrested and handed down punishment to around 80 opposition activists during the Sunday's shutdown for anarchy on the streets and obstructing normal life.
BNP activists were arrested during previous general strikes also, but this is first time mobile courts have been deployed to punish law-breakers during the lockdown. Eleven mobile courts have hit the 42 areas under Dhaka Metropolitan Police to prevent any kind of violence or anarchy.
As per information, until 7.30pm, at least 77 people were given jail for varying terms and fined mainly for vandalism, across the country. The number was 56 the previous day for Dhaka only.
At least 13 people, including former home minister Altaf Hossain Chowdhury and former water resources minister Hafiz Uddin Ahmed, also vice-presidents of the main opposition party, were picked up from Mohakhali in the morning.
Gulshan Police Station in-charge Shah Alam told bdnews24.com that they were arrested for obstructing vehicular movement. Besides, police arrested at least 24 in Barguna, 10 in Sylhet, four in Bandarban, two in Kishoreganj and one in Noakhali. BNP claims that over 700 of its supporters were arrested since the hartal was declared on Friday.
Addressing a press conference, party's acting secretary-general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir also criticised the penalties awarded by the mobile courts, terming their action 'one-sided'. He also claimed that the sentences were pronounced under the provisions of tobacco and anti-drug law of 1952.
However, executive magistrates engaged with the courts denied the observation, saying they were awarding punishments under certain sections of the penal code, which provide for penal action for obstruction in government duty.
Home minister Shahara Khatun told reporters that the measures were taken against only those responsible for anarchy on the streets. "The mobile courts are working in line with the law. None, even ministers, can speak about and against the court," she stressed.
Since early morning, BNP activists started gathering in front of the party's central office at Naya Paltan. Police cordoned off the headquarters and foiled their attempts to bring out processions. The BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami are enforcing the 36-hour shutdown since 6am on Sunday to protest the government move to repeal the non-party caretaker government system, and the recommendations of the special parliamentary committee on constitution amendment.
Calling the general strike pointless, ruling Awami League has asked the opposition to join parliament and discuss the issues. No significant picketing was seen in other parts of the capital as huge contingents of law-enforcers had been deployed at different points.
Most of the shops and business establishments in the city kept their shutters down until midday of the sixth BNP-sponsored lockdown since the Awami League-led alliance come to power in 2009. Few motorised vehicles, including buses and auto-rickshaws operated, though rickshaws out-numbered all other modes of transport on the roads. No inter-district bus left the terminals.
The authorities said train and flight operations went on as usual.
Presence in the Supreme Court, Secretariat and offices was much less than normal days, and both Dhaka and Chittagong stock exchanges recorded falls 313.52 and 188.98 points, respectively.
Two buses were torched at Mirpur Section 13 shortly before the start of the nonstop general strike. Nine vehicles seven buses, a taxicab and a CNG-run auto-rickshaw were set ablaze in the city on Saturday a day prior to the 36-hour general strike.
An equal number of vehicles were also set blaze on the eve of June 5 lockdown, enforced by the main opposition party and its main ally over the same issue.