Some stray incidents of violence however occurred during the hartal hours.

More than 50 people were injured in scuffles between police and Awami League (AL) activists at Purana Paltan, Gulistan and Russell Square in the capital, BNP-AL clashes in Bogra and police baton charge in Netrokona .The shutdown was peaceful elsewhere in the country.

The Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) called the hartal in protest against the twin bomb blasts in Chittagong and Gazipur on November 29 that killed 10 and injured about 100.

The SCBA, the apex body of lawyers of the country, also announced fresh agitation programmes including demonstrations and meetings on December 4 and exchange of views on December 7 to step up protests against militant activities at the courts.

In the capital, hundreds of leaders and members of different professional bodies took to the streets in processions in the morning and expressed solidarity with the SCBA.

The shutdown saw courts, schools, private offices and business houses closed. Buses, trucks and private cars stayed off the streets. Rickshaws however plied as usual.

The Dhaka Bar Association (DBA) formed a human chain near its office at 10:00am to condemn the bomb attacks while Jatiyatabadi Ainjibi Forum, Dhaka unit, brought out a procession protesting the hartal.

The SCBA brought out a procession from the court premises at about 8:00am, led by its President Advocate Mahbubey Alam. The procession marched different city streets and its participants then held a rally at Purana Paltan crossing.

The 14-party combine led by the AL, which supported the SCBA hartal, also brought out processions and then held a rally at Muktangan. Later, AL leaders and activists attended the SCBA rally.

The organisations and parties that expressed solidarity with the SCBA included Bangladesh Bar Council, Dhaka Bar Association, Sammilita Ainjibi Samannoy Parishad, Peshajibi Samannoy Parishad, Swadhinata Chikitsak Parishad, Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee, Sammilita Nari Samaj, Gonomukti and Jatiya Sampad Raskha Andolan, Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB), Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) and Workers Party of Bangladesh.

Addressing the rallies, leaders of the professional bodies and political leaders blamed the BNP-Jamaat government for the rise of Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) and its militant operations across the country.

The government's negligence to investigate the bomb and grenade attacks in the past encouraged the militants, Ainjibi Samannoy Parishad Convenor Barrister Amir-Ul-Islam said.

Demanding immediate resignation of the government for its 'failure' to ensure security of the people, Advocate Mahbubey Alam mentioned that Jamaat Ameer Motiur Rahman Nizami blamed Indian RAW and Israel for the August 17 bomb blasts but did not name the JMB.

The government's special force Rab can kill Sarbaharas (leftist extremists) but why can't they kill JMB militants, asked Mahbubey Alam. who chaired the SCBA rally.

He demanded that the government pay a compensation of Tk 50 lakh each to the families of those killed in the bomb blasts and announce a handsome amount of money for the JMB men's return to normal life.

Leaders of the 14-party, different bar associations and Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists also spoke at the rally.

Our staff correspondent in Chittagong reports: The shutdown was peaceful in the port city. Delivery of cargo to and from Chittagong port remained suspended but loading and unloading of cargo took place to some extent.

Our Bogra correspondent reports: At least 30 AL and BNP actvists were injured in a clash between the two sides in Dhunat upazila during hartal hours. The clash occurred as pro-hartal activists and anti-hartal ones in two processions faced each other.

AL leaders alleged the BNP activists damaged a restaurant of Dhunat upazila Jubo League President Boni Alam Mintu and set fire to two motorcycles. Additional police force was deployed to avert further clash.

Our correspondent in Netrakona reported that 10 AL activists were injured as police charged baton on a procession of the 14-party alliance at Kendua upazila headquarters. Police also intercepted a pro-hartal procession in Purbadhala upazila.

Reports of peaceful observance of the hartal were received from our staff correspondent in Sylhet and correspondents in Comilla, Barisal, Jessore, Pabna, Mymensingh, Dinajpur and Gopalganj.