Police foiled the BNP's hunger strike program in Khulna on Saturday.
The BNP started the seven-hour hunger strike in different parts of the country, including in the capital, in the morning, demanding that its ailing chairperson, Khaleda Zia, be allowed to go overseas for advanced treatment.
As part of the countrywide program, when the local leaders and activists of the party tried to gather in front of the party office in Khulna at around 9am, police obstructed them saying they did not have permission to do so.
When some leaders tried to start the program inside the party office, police prevented them from doing that as well.
Nazrul Islam Manju, president of the Khulna city unit of the BNP, said: "We have gathered here for a peaceful program, it is not a political procession. But the cops are stopping us regardless.”
Police forcefully removed party activists from in front of the party office and even detained two of them, he told.
Khulna Sadar police OC Hasan Al Mamun told that no one will be allowed to participate in any program by occupying roads and obstructing traffic. "The party has been asked to hold its program inside its office."
On Thursday, Mirza Fakhrul Islam announced the hunger strike program at a press conference at the BNP chairperson’s Gulshan office. "The program will also be held in all metropolitan cities and district towns."Students of two colleges vandalised several buses in Dhaka's Science Lab and Farmgate areas, demanding half bus fare.
The students of Dhaka City College brought out a procession and blocked the road in front of their college on Science Lab Road around 12:15 pm.
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Students of Dhaka City College vandalise several vehicles in Science lab area. Photo: Palash Khan
They threw brickbats at the buses, shattering windows of at least five buses, Ekram Ali Mia, officer-in-charge of Dhanmondi Police Station, told The Daily Star.
Traffic movement on the road was suspended for several minutes but the situation is now normal, the OC said around 1:15 pm.
Witnesses said the protestors were chanting slogans for taking half bus fare from students. They carried out the vandalism when the buses were passing through the area during their protests.
The protestors were also seen putting stickers on a number of buses that read, "Students will pay half fare on public transport".
Meanwhile, students of Government Science College blocked the busy Farmgate area around 11:30 am and broke the windshield and windows of a bus, according to witnesses.
However, Apurba Hasan, officer-in-charge of Tejgaon Police Station, said he was unaware of any vandalism.
"The students blocked the road for about 15 minutes but police in along the college authorities freed the road later," he said.
