At least 50 people were injured in explosions and clashes between police and demonstrators during the eight-hour hartal called by the Left .Democratic Front (LDF) yesterday throughout, the country.

The LDF. an alliance of eight leftist political parties, called the hartal to press its seven-point demand which includes the call for elections tinder a neutral caretaker government.

In Dhaka city, clashes occurred mainly at two strategic points — F.arrn Gate and Katabon — causing injuries to over 20 people.

The picketes hurled brickbats at the police who lobbed ' teargas shells to disperse them. \

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Besides, several people were injured In sporadic hand bomb explosions.

Thirteen people were injured in Narayanganj. where a bomb was thrown at an LDF rally.

In the capital all vehicles stayed off the streets except some double-deckers of the BRTC which operated in some routes under police escort.

Rickshaws, however, moved freely In many streets.

In some areas, some pick-eters were rescuing rickshawpullers from the overenthusi-astic street urchins who always play a significant role in every hartal

All business centres, markets and educational institutions remained closed.

Life In the city, however, became normal from noon onwards, two hours ahead of the scheduled duration of the har tai. However the LDF. organisers of the hartal, claimed complete success of their first strike call since the alliance came in to being early this

Supporters of the Left Front brought out processions In support ol their seven de-

mands.

According (o reports received from our correspondents, the hartal was observed peacefully in Khulna. Faridpur, Narayanganj. Sylhet and other parts of the country.

Vehicles stayed off the streets, business centres and shops were closed, but production remained uninterrupted In most of the Industrial areas In Dhaka. Khulna and Narayanganj.

Inter-city buses did not move during the hartal hours but train and launch services were more or less normal

Our Chittagong correspondent says: Normal life was par tially disrupted in the port city because of the half-day hartal called by the LDF.

No untoward Incident was reported during the hartal period. Except rickshaws, other vehicles stayed off the roads while shops and markets were* almost shut. Offices, mills and factories operated with thin attendance

Cargo handling at Chittagong port was normal but delivery of goods to and from the port was suspended. Police contingents were deployed at Important points of the city