Dear All.
Current situation : dawn-to-dusk shutdown & ongoing nonstop blockade.
The country’s political situation is getting from bad to worse as no tangible initiative to end the ongoing stand-off is in sight yet. Rather the overall situation got complicated with the disconnection of utility lines to the Gulshan office of the BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia early Saturday and BNP’s subsequent threat, issued yesterday, to extend the ongoing 72-hour shutdown if the phone, internet and cable connections are not restored immediately. The power connection was restored Sunday night after nearly 19 hours to Khaleda’s Gulshan office, where she has been staying since January 5.Though the death toll in the political violence is rising everyday, and the sufferings of people in general is mounting, neither the ruling party nor its main political rival BNP shows any sign to sit across the table to end the impasse. Already over 40 people have been killed in political violence since the beginning of the ongoing blockade enforced by the BNP–led 20-party alliance on Januarys 6.
Two bogies and engine of a train veered off the tracks as miscreants removed fishplates from the railway tracks in Mirsarai upazila of Chittagong early today. None was reported to be hurt in the incident, Mymensingh Express, a Chittagong-bound train from Bangabandhu Bridge (east), derailed around 3:40am after miscreants removed the fishplates in Boro Takia area sometimes in the night. Following the derailment, rail communication of Chittagong with rest of the country including Dhaka remained suspended till 8:00am.
Three crude bombs were exploded near the secretariat and Bidyut Bhaban in the capital on Sunday, the first day of the BNP alliance’s three-day hartal.Witnesses said three crude bombs went off near gate No 3 of the secretariat and Bidyut Bhaban around 10:25am.However, no casualty was reported in the incidents.
Miscreants have set fire to a garage burning down two buses in Dhaka amid the BNP-led coalition’s simultaneous general strike and blockade throughout Bangladesh. Two other buses were also set ablaze on Sunday with no reported casualties.
The government has decided to shift Monday’s Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and equivalent examinations to Friday after the BNP-led coalition called a shutdown amid its non-stop blockade. As the examinations have been deferred, the students will have to sit the first exam on Wednesday. A total of 1,479,266 students are taking the SSC and equivalent exams this year.
FBCCI to hold nationwide rallies They plan to meet PM, BNP chief. The Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) on Sunday said they would soon hold countrywide rallies with the national flag in hands, seeking an end to destructive political programmes to restore business-friendly environment in the country.
Vehicles are out on the streets of Dhaka quite normal but long distance buses have been grounded during shutdown. Launch and rail services (except Chittagong), however, remained normal.
Government has taken stringent security measures to avoid any untoward incidents during the shutdown, deploying large contingents of police, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and Bangladesh Border Guards (BGB) at different strategic points of the city.
We talked with our expat & national in Bibiyan gas plant, Sylhet. They informed me that they traveled to the Chevron sites early this morning around 5:20 am without any issues.
I am closely monitoring the situation & update you accordingly.
SMS from Dhaka Security Control Room (DSCR) of Chevron Bangladesh to all employees:
1. Dear All, 2nd day of nationwide 72hrs hartal has started from today 0600 hrs along with ongoing indefinite period of blockade program called by BNP led 20 party alliance. Vehicular movements outside safe zone are restricted and subject to SCR clearance FYI-DSCR