Sylhet Byaboshayee Samity, which called the strike, also held a brief rally at the Kalighat Point at the end of the strike that brought business in Kalighat, Mohajanpatty, Dhopadighirpar, Ali Amzad Road and Laldighirpar areas to a halt.

President of Sylhet Chamber of Commerce and Industries Md Mohiuddin Ahmed chaired the rally that blasted the police's failure to rescue the leading businessman even two weeks into his apparent kidnap.

Speakers at the rally warned of tougher agitation programme if the police fail to rescue Habib soon.

Sylhet Zila Truck Sramik Union, Sylhet District Consumer Goods Distributors Group, Transport Coordination Committee and Ganotantrik Byaboshayik Sangathan also joined the rally.

The Detective Branch (DB) of Police have failed to extract significant information from the three young men including the two nephews of the victim after the end of their remand for a second time Thursday.