Thousands of people took io the streets of Lalbagh in the capital yesterday during a halfday hartal observed to protest Monday's carnage in which six people died.
All shops, educational institutions and market places of the busy residential-ctim-busi-ness areas of. Lalbagh were closed during the hartal hours and all modes of transport remained off the roads.
Since early morning, the people from all- walks of life wearing black badges came out on the streets while black flags flew atop most of the houses in Lalbagh.
Sporadic processions were also brought out in the area.
The marchers chanted slogans like Nab Abdul Aziz' and Hang killer Aziz".
Thousands of people gathered at the NawabganJ Park where the bodies of the six victims were kept for sometime to enable the people to see. It was a heart-rending sight with the relatives and friends of the deceased wailing hysterically.
The six were killed and 50
others injured in an armed attack on a victory procession, allegedly by the supporters of one Abdul Aziz, a BNP-backed commissioner candidate in Ward 59 Monday. Aziz was defeated in the pity corporation polls by his Awami League rival.
A heavy contingent of police was deployed In different areas of Lalbagh. and also at the residence of Aziz. who has been absconding.
Angry demonstrators picketed many places of Lalbagh during the hdrtal hours. Brickbats were hurled at two cars and an autorickshaw near the Plassey crossing at about 9:15 in the morning, halting the movement of vehicular traffic in the locality for the day.
Students of the Badrunnessa Girls College brought out a. procession wielding sticks and paraded the roads in Lalbagh and Bakhshibazar.
The fist namaz e-janaza of the victims was held at 11 am at the NawabganJ Park. A large , number of people attended. Later, a mourning procession was brought out from the park which proceeded to the Baitul Mukarram mosque. A second Janaza was held there.
Leaders of the Awami League and other political organisations. including Zillur Rahman. Abdul Mannan, Abdur Razzak MP, ASM Feroz, Mohammad Hanif. Mostafa Jalal Mohiuddin. Obaidul Kader. Amir Hossain Amu; Rashed Khan Menon. Manjurul Ahsan Khan. Mnjahidul Islam Selim, Hasanul Huq Inu. K M Obaidur Rahman and Muhammad Afzal attended the janaza.
After the janaza, the mourners, carrying the six coffins, went to tht Azimpur graveyard where the victims were laid to eternal rest.
DCC Mayor-elect Mohammad Hanif, who led the procession to the graveyard, was escorted by his supporters for security reasons.
The Detective Branch of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police late Monday picked up three more people for their alleged involvement in the killings. They were identified as Kayes. 22. and Kalachand 50. and Akmal. 38. Earlier, police arrested six people including Aziz's father.
AwarAi League president Sheikh Hasina yesterday appealed to the people for holding milad mahfil in all mosques in the country after the Juma prayer on Friday for those killed in Monday s post-election violence tn Lalbagh
She also ealled for offering prayers in all temples and churches on February 6 for sal vation of the departed souls.
In a statement. Hasina. also Leader of the Opposition in
Parliament, alleged the BNP staged the carnage in a planned way to take revenge of Its defeat in the Dhaka City Corporation election.
She called for building social resistance against this "heinous act of the ruling party.”
The Awami League president also urged all to face the present situation with a strong morale, tolerance and patience.
In a separate statement, AL general secretary Zillur Rahman requested the people And party leaders, workers to join today's mourning procession from Bangabandhu Avenue at 4 PM.