In retaliation, leaders of the opposition line-up yesterday warned, if the police clampdown does not stop, the entire country would be brought to a standstill.

Under the apparent bid to stifle the February 5 showdown, law enforcers since Wednesday night have continued to raid houses of opposition men, unit offices of the 14 parties, and bus and launch terminals.

Outside the capital, until last evening, they had arrested at least 2,000 opposition men, mostly belonging to the main opposition Awami League, according to reports received from our correspondents and police sources.

While in Dhaka, some 500 people, mostly ward-level opposition leaders and workers, had been arrested until 9:00pm yesterday, with the number continuing to climb.

Sources said this time the government high-ups instructed the police to crack down on the grassroots organisers of the opposition parties to ensure a poor turnout in the long march towards Dhaka.

According to them, the police top brass from the headquarters quoting a home ministry directive asked the senior police officials in the districts to restrict the long march in their respective areas. Besides, the police in the districts have allegedly directed transport owners not to rent buses and trucks for the march.

The Daily Star contacted two ministers over telephone for their comments on the clampdown, which they denied.

On the other hand, the 14-party leaders have received reports of arrests of several hundreds of their grassroots leaders in the last two days, AL General Secretary and 14-party coordinator Abdul Jalil told The Daily Star last night.

"We have asked our field-level leaders to resist any move of the government to foil the long march," he added.

The long march, spearheaded by the AL-led 14-party combine, is scheduled to reach Dhaka on February 5 to press home its demands to the government.

According to reports from The Daily Star correspondents, the number of arrests in Bogra was at least 29, Natore 16, Jessore 100, Jhenidah 82, Rajshahi 50, Manikganj 88, Magura 45, Naogaon 92, Ashuganj five, Keshabpur 10, Gurudaspur two, Koira 12, Shibganj one, Joypurhat 17, Shariatpur three, Companyganj four, Noakhali 29,Sharonkhola 10,Brahmanbaria 18, Narayanganj town three, Sonargaon 13, Fatullah seven, Bandarban 33, Kishoreganj 15,Chuadanga 63, Parbatipur (Sirajganj) 25,Gaibandha 24, Trishal (Mymensingh) six and Brahman-para (Comilla) seven.

ARRESTS IN DHAKA
The police arrested at least 500 leaders and workers, mostly of the AL and its front organisations, at various ward unit offices, Kamalapur Railway Station, Sadarghat launch terminal, Gabtali, Sayedabad and Mohakhali bus terminals and other places in the city.

As of filing this report at 9:00pm, the police were still conducting a massive manhunt raiding the houses of leaders of the AL and its front organisations across the city.

The police arrested at least 50 leaders and workers in Lalbagh area until 8:30 last night, Dhaka City AL Joint Secretary Hazi Selim told The Daily Star. The AL leaders and workers in the area have fled their homes fearing arrests and harassment, he said, adding the police have also been doing excesses in the name of raids.

A police official told The Daily Star they have received government directives to arrest thana- and ward-level organisers and leaders of the opposition combine and also those who "pose threat to the law and order" so as to hinder as many people as possible from joining the Paltan Maidan rally.

The raids will continue until the march ends on February 5, he said. Additional police have been kept on alert at the bus and railway stations and launch terminals. They have been asked to arrest anyone who would fail to give appropriate reasons for coming to the capital, he added.

RAJSHAHI, NATORE, BOGRA
Our staff correspondent from Rajshahi reports: The police arrested over 50 AL leaders in Rajshahi and 16 in Natore.

The arrestees include Meherchandi Ward Awami Jubo League (AJL) President Anu, Meherchandi Ward Awami Swechchhasebak League (ASL) Vice President Ashraf and AJL leader Shahidul Islam in Rajshahi. Naldanga Thana AL Vice President Abdus Salam, Shingra Sramik League (SL) Publicity Secretary Abdul Halim, Gurudaspur Municipality AJL Joint Secretary Labu and Publicity Secretary Jahrool Islam, and ASL President Masud are also among them.

A 'fuel crisis' has suddenly sprung up in the region, while transport worker leaders alleged certain political quarters asked them not to provide any truck or bus for the long march.

From Wednesday evening, all the filling stations in Rajshahi City as well as the district have stopped selling petrol and octane. The condition in Natore and Chapainawabganj was almost the same.

Some 14-party leaders alleged the fuel crisis was an artificial one, created to bar the long march.

AL leader AHM Khairuzzaman Liton and Workers Party Politburo Member Fazle Hossain Badsha said dealers have stopped supplying oil to pumps following directions from the government high-ups.

"We had to hire a large number of cars and microbuses as we could not manage more than 50 buses from the three districts -- Chapainawabganj, Rajshahi and Natore," Liton said. He said local bus owners refused to rent out vehicles to them, mentioning a directive from the police administration.

In Bogra Sadar Upazila the police arrested 20 AJL and Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) workers Wednesday night on charge of planning sabotage. The arrestees were sent to a court yesterday under Section 151 of the CrPC (Criminal Procedure Code).

The police said the arrested AJL and BCL workers were planning to carry out sabotage at Satmatha in the town. Tipped off, the police detained and interrogated them. "Since they could not give satisfactory answers, they were arrested," said a police official requesting for anonymity.

The arrestees are Shahidul Islam, Raihan, Bulbul Mandal, Rafiqul Islam, Khokon Mia, Mosharraf Hossain, Rezaul Haque, Shahjada, Raja Mia, Jahidul, Raja Sheikh, Badal, Shuvra Ghosh, Wahiduzzaman, Milon Sardar, Liton, Shamsul Haque, Nur Mohammad Ranu and Ashraful.

MAGURA
Our Magura correspondent reports: At least 45 people including BCL and AJL leaders and workers were arrested in four upazilas of the district.

The arrestees were produced before a court yesterday under Section 54 of the CrPC. Of them, 23 were arrested in Magura Sadar Upazila, 11 in Shalikha, six in Mohammadpur and five in Sreepur, the police said.

Magura District AL President Altaf Hossain alleged the arrests were made to foil the long march, but the police claimed they arrested the people for their suspicious movements on Wednesday night.

MANIKGANJ
Our Manikganj correspondent reports: The police arrested 45 people at different places in the district on what they said were previous complaints against them. But, local leaders of the 14-party line-up alleged the arrestees were opposition workers and they were held to hinder the February 5 long march.

NOAKHALI
Our Noakhali correspondent reports: The police on Wednesday night arrested 25 leaders and workers of the 14-party opposition alliance in different areas of the district.

Of them, five were held in Sudharam, three in Begumganj, two in Sonaimuri, six in Senbagh, five in Char Jabbar, three in Companyganj, and one in Chatkhil. They were produced before a court yesterday showing arrested under Section 54 of the CrPC and the court sent them to jail refusing bail petitions.

BARISAL DIVISION
Our Barisal correspondent reports: The police on Wednesday started raiding different areas along the routes of the long march in the southern region in search of opposition leaders and activists.

Barisal City AL Convener and 14-party combine divisional coordinator Shawkat Hossain Hiron alleged eight opposition leaders and activists had been arrested in Baufal and 10 others in Patuakhali town on Monday and Tuesday.

ASL Organising Secretary Harunur Rashid was arrested in Banaripara upazila on Tuesday. Three AJL activists were arrested in Jhalakati on the same day.

Police sources said most of the arrests were made under the Section 54 for suspicious activities, as there was no specified case against the arrestees.

Barisal Range Deputy Inspector General (in-charge) Hemayet Hossain denied the existence of any bid to foil the long march and claimed the police would rather try their best to ensure safety and security of the participants.

NARAYANGANJ
Our Narayanganj correspondent reports: The police held five Fatullah thana unit AL activists during a meeting at the Fatullah Reporter's Club on Wednesday night.

The arrestees are Ujjal, Zakir, Rony, Babul and Mojibur.

Angry AL leaders and activists staged demonstration in front of Fatullah Police Station following the arrests. Later, the police released Mojibur and Rony.

Our Rangpur correspondent adds that three AJL leaders were arrested there yesterday.

LONG MARCH STARTS
Streams of the long march started yesterday from Tentulia in Panchagarh, Mongla in Khulna, Meherpur and Barguna to press resignation of the BNP-Jamaat-led alliance government and holding of parliamentary polls under reformed caretaker government and Election Commission.

The streams from across the country are scheduled to assemble in Paltan Maidan in Dhaka, where Hasina will announce the next programme of the opposition combine.

Long march streams will begin from nine other points across the country today.

AL Presidium Member Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir inaugurated one of the streams of some 5,000 activists at Tentulia Chowrasta intersection at about 11:00am yesterday.

Workers Party Politburo Member Fazle Hossain Badsha, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) Central Committee Joint Secretary Nazmul Haque Pradhan, Gono Forum leader Pankanj Bhattacharya, Gonotantri Party Presidium Member M Afzal Hossain, Workers Party Presidium Member Aminul Islam Gopal and district AL President Nurul Islam Sujan spoke before the marchers started from Tentulia and Panchagarh.

Gono Forum Presidium Member Ranesh Maitra inaugurated another stream from Meherpur point yesterday noon.

UNB adds: The long march with over 20,000 opposition activists started from Mongla bus stand and reached Katakhali on the Mongla-Rupsa Road at about 12:45pm. It then advanced towards Khulna at about 2:00pm.

Opposition leaders ASHK Sadek, Mohammad Nasim, Dr Mojammel Hossain, SMA Sabur, Ganotantri Party leader MA Muhit, Sharif Nurul Ambia and others were leading the march to Dhaka.