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THREE-DAY BLOCKADE
AL dominant on Dhaka streets
STAFF CORRESPONDENT
Awami League and its affiliate organisations were more prominent on Dhaka streets yesterday, the second day of the three-day nationwide blockade called by BNP, its allies, and Jamaat-e-Islami.
Leaders and activists of the ruling party took positions at different spots around the capital, held brief rallies, and brought out processions wielding bamboo sticks.
The AL activists were seen taking possession at places, including AL central office on Bangabandhu Avenue, Uttara’s Azampur, Darus Salam, near Technical crossing, Mirpur-10, Banani, Badda, Farmgate, Kallyanpur, Shahbagh, Bonghsal, Gabtali, Rampura, Sabujbagh, Kamlapur, Jatrabari, Bijoynagar, and Sadarghat areas.
They chanted slogans against BNP and Jamaat, branding their actions as “criminal activities”.
Chhatra League activists were seen patrolling on bikes with bamboo sticks and cricket stumps on the Dhaka University campus area around noon.
Asked why they had taken to the streets, the AL men claimed they were on alert to protect people’s lives and property from BNP-Jamaat’s violence and anarchy.
“As the ruling party men, it’s our responsibility to protest people’s lives and property. We are in the field to ensure smooth movement of the common people,” SM Hanif, president of Mirpur Thana unit, told The Daily Star.
During a visit around 12:30pm, AL men were seen sitting on the roads in front of Awami League’s central office on Bangabandhu Avenue, led by Dhaka city (south) AL President Abu Ahmed Mannafi and General Secretary Humayun Kabir.
Addressing the leaders and activists, Mannafi said, “Those who will try to set fire will be strongly resisted. People have rejected BNP’s blockade.”
BNP and Jamaat separately called the three-day countrywide blockade of roads, railways, and waterways, claiming that it was in protest of police action during their events and arrests of activists.
Meanwhile, AL General Secretary Obaidul Quader yesterday alleged that BNP has again chosen the path of terrorism behind their so-called systematic movement.
He said although BNP claims to be a pro-democracy force, in essence, they are an anti-democratic and anti-national force.
Quader further alleged that BNP is now trying to win the mercy of foreign masters with a failed movement by spreading disinformation.

Mirza Abbas remanded for five days
UNB, Dhaka
A Dhaka court yesterday placed BNP standing committee member Mirza Abbas on a five-day remand in a case involving an act of sabotage and attempts to snatch away pistols from law enforcers during clashes on October 28 in Dhaka.
Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Shafi Uddin granted the remand after rejecting his bail petition.
Mustafizur Rahman, sub-inspector of Shahjahanpur Police Station, filed the case making Mirza Abbas the prime suspect on October 29.
Forty-nine BNP men were identified as suspects while 700-800 unidentified individuals have been mentioned in the case.
Police and the BNP supporters clashed in some parts of Dhaka involving the party’s scheduled grand rally on October 28.