Dhaka shut down by student strike

A half-day general strike shut down Dhaka's schools, shops and banks yesterday and brought life to a standstill.

The strike was observed at the call of an alliance of student organisations to protest Sunday's police attack at Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology and subsequent closure of the university.

There were no reports of major trouble during the shutdown, which was coupled with a countrywide strike by the educational institutions and sponsored by Progotishil Chhatra Jote (PCJ).

Stray incidents of police chasing protesters took place in some parts of Dhaka city. Police said they arrested three people during street demonstrations. Baton-wielding policemen chased agitators, leaving at least 10 injured. The protesters also exploded fire crackers.

At a press briefing, PCJ leaders claimed that the student strike enforced across the country was observed spontaneously.

They alleged that pro-government student activists roughed up protesting students in some places outside Dhaka, in which at least 15 others were injured.

The main opposition Awami League and some left-leaning political parties supported yesterday's general strike which witnessed thin traffic on the roads and most shops and businesses were closed.

The authorities on Sunday closed the university for an indefinite period amid a student agitation with a four-point demand, including withdrawal of punishment orders against students, filing of the Sony murder case by the authorities, and lifting restrictions on student politics and cultural activities.

Denouncing the "barbaric attacks" on the students, the PCJ thanked the people for making the strike an "all-out success".

Official sources said 5,000 police and paramilitary Bangladesh Rifles troops were deployed during the shut-down. Police and paramilitary troops cordoned the city's streets.

Meanwhile, PCJ leaders announced a fresh agitation to press their demand for the immediate re-opening of the engineering university and Dhaka University.

Their demands include stopping attacks by the student front of the ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the police and release of all student leaders arrested on Monday.

The PCJ will observe "free detainees day" today with demonstrations in all district headquarters.
To mark Education Day on September 17, PCJ workers will observe a sit-in strike in front of deputy commissioner's offices.