The law-enforcers kept vigil on every sensitive point in the city and clubbed the opposition activists whenever they tried to stage demonstration.

The 6:00am to 6:00pm shutdown that followed a 60-hour hartal from Saturday through Monday, disrupted normal life and economic activities across the country.

Awami League (AL), 11-Party, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD-Inu) and National Awami Party (NAP) called the hartal to protest the killing of AL lawmaker Shah AMS Kibria and four others in the January 27 grenade attack in Habiganj.

After the incident, the opposition parties stepped up their agitation demanding resignation of the BNP-Jamaat alliance government blaming it for the killing.

The main opposition AL will enforce another non-stop 36-hour hartal from Saturday morning in continuation of the antigovernment movement.

Most shops and business establishments, schools and private offices remained closed during yesterday's hartal that also hampered cargo handling at Chittagong Port. Long route vehicles did not ply but train services were normal.

Apart from rickshaws, a good number of vehicles including city service minibuses and human-hauliers were seen plying in the capital.

Two police constables and one rickshawpuller were injured when unknown people threw hand bombs at Bangabazar and Shuritola in Old Dhaka.

At least 30 people were injured in police actions in the capital while another 30 wounded in clashes in Pabna, Barguna, Comilla and Pirojpur, UNB says.

BID TO BRING OUT PROCESSION FOILED
The AL and other parties tried to bring out processions in different parts of the capital which was heavily guarded by paramilitary Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) and police.

The law-enforcers used batons to foil opposition processions at Muktangan, Bangabazar, Science Laboratory crossing, Green Road, Arambagh and Gulshan.

They picked up Segufta Yasmin Emily, Shaheen Monwara Haque and Meher Afroz Chumki, three former lawmakers of the AL, from Paltan crossing as they were going to Muktangon at about 10:30am.

AL Presidium Member Matia Chowdhury in an instant protest tried to get into the police van with the three party colleagues but fell to the ground when the policewomen pushed her. The three ex-lawmakers were released in the evening.

Frontline AL leaders including Tofail Ahmed and Asaduzzaman Noor MP were forced to stay at Muktangon for more than two hours until 1:20pm as the police prevented them from leading any procession.

"We are deprived of democratic and fundamental rights to protest," Tofail told the newsmen at the spot. He said the police without any provocation attacked the opposition activists to foil their peaceful demonstrations.

The police assaulted two journalists -- Sheikh Mamun of the Amar Desh and Abul Bashar Nuru of the Amader Samay -- when they tried to enter Muktangon at about 11:15am. The police misbehaved with them even after seeing their identity cards.

Protesting the incident, journalists covering the hartal instantly brought out a procession and demanded punishment of the cops responsible for the excesses.

Mahbub Murshed, a reporter of daily Naya Diganta, sustained head injury from the iron shed of a shop near Paltan crossing during the protests.

The police cordoned off the AL central office by putting barbed-wire fencing and did not allow anyone except some senior leaders into Bangabandhu Avenue area.

About 7,000 police and BDR members were deployed at the city's vulnerable spots. The police were seen asking people through loudspeakers not to gather on streets and footpaths.

Several AL lawmakers led a procession from the Jatiya Sangsad area at about 11:00am marching on the Mirpur Road and held a rally at Russell Square. A large number of policemen cordoned off the area during the demonstration.

A procession of AL women activists came under police action near Science Laboratory crossing in the morning. The police picked up eight AL workers from the area.

The law-enforcer also charged batons and took away banners from a procession of Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) in Paltan area in the morning. At least five CPB workers were injured in the police action.

At least 12 people were injured when the police clubbed a Chhatra League procession near Bangabazar in the capital.

The police also foiled an attempt of the lawyers to bring out a pro-hartal procession in court area in Old Dhaka.

BOMB BLASTS
Two constables of Kotwali Police Station were injured in a bomb attack in front of Armanitola Primary School at about 3.00pm.

Unknown miscreants hurled the bomb at Habibur Rahman, 32, and Mohammad Jaru Miah, 40, leaving them badly injured. They were admitted to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH). Habib received injuries to head and Jhuru, his face.

Masud, 22, a rickshawpuller was injured in another bomb blast at Bangabazar. He was also admitted to DMCH.

The pickets set ablaze a jeep on the Court House Street in the old town at about 11:00am. Locals and on duty policemen put out the fire with sand and water.

OTHER PLACES
Our staff correspondent from Chittagong adds: The 12-hour hartal was observed peacefully in the port city. Pickets were less active during the hartal. Movement of vehicles became normal in the afternoon.

However, the shutdown disrupted goods delivery to and from Chittagong Port leading to a huge congestion of container cargoes at the port.

Our staff correspondent from Rajshahi reports: The Awami League and other opposition parties staged demonstrations in the city during the hartal that disrupted academic activities at Rajshahi university and other educational institutions.

Pickets beat up a motorcyclist at Shaheb Bazar and damaged his bike at around 10.30am. They also damaged a bus of Modern Enterprise at Bhadra crossing at about 11:00am when the driver was taking it to a garage.