-78 leaders and activists of BNP-Jamaat were arrested in Barisal
-Office-court and business shop opened
-Bus service started on long distance and domestic routes
-RAB, Police, BGB and Army are patrolling
-Processions, gatherings are prohibited
Due to the relaxation of curfew in the country, relief has returned among the people of southern region including Barisal as banks, offices and courts have opened. Curfew has been relaxed from 9 am in Barisal city and from 8 am to 6 pm in other parts of the district except the city on Wednesday (January 24).
As a result, the movement of pedal rickshaws, battery operated rickshaws, autorickshaws and three-wheelers in the city has started as normal from 9 am. Along with that, bus movement within and outside the district has also started as before. All in all, the movement of people on the roads has increased a lot. The workers of Nathullabaad Central Bus Terminal in Barisal city said that the curfew was relaxed from 11 am on Tuesday and from 10 am in all upazilas of the district except the city.
During this period, buses and minibuses are plying on long-distance and internal routes for a short distance, but buses and three-wheelers have been plying normally since Wednesday morning. And the number of passengers in public transport has increased. Meanwhile, no bus plying on 22 routes from BRTC depot on Tuesday, but bus plying on several routes has started on Wednesday. On the other hand, the entire Bangladesh including Barisal has been shut down since July 21. Although no launch has been operated on the internal and long-distance routes from the Barisal river port till 10 am on Wednesday, the speedboat movement on the Barisal-Bhola and Barisal-Mehendiganj routes is normal. Along with that, the people of Hijla, Mehendiganj and Bhola Sadar of Barisal surrounded by river are traveling with the divisional headquarters through small engine driven boats (trawlers). Riad Hossain, assistant director of BIWTA's Barisal Naval Safety and Traffic Management Department, said that the authorities have not given a decision on the launch movement so far, but if the decision is made, the launch movement will start immediately.
In addition, the companies said that although the curfew is relaxed during the day, the curfew is in force after 6 pm, but it is not yet confirmed whether the luxury launches will ply on the Barisal-Dhaka route at night or not. Meanwhile, from 10 am, various types of business establishments, including shops, which were closed for a long time, started opening.
On the other hand, a crowd of people was seen in banks, offices and courts around 10 am. Officials said the workload will be heavy on the first opening day this week. However, public and private sector officials and employees are ready to provide maximum customer and citizen service. However, business activities are not being carried out properly as internet system is not functioning everywhere in Barisal, businessmen said. On the other hand, although the curfew is relaxed, no processions and gatherings can be held during this time, said Barisal Metropolitan Police Commissioner Md Jihadul Kabir and District Superintendent of Police Wahidul Islam. Along with that police, army and BGB members are patrolling the important roads of the city and district since morning. Besides, the presence of a large number of members of the law and order forces has been noticed at the junctions of the important roads of the city.
78 activists of BNP-Jamaat were arrested in Barisal
The police arrested 78 BNP-Jamaat leaders and activists from the district including Barisal city in the last two days. In the meantime, all of them have been arrested in various cases and sent to jail through the court. Assistant Commissioner of Barisal Metropolitan Police Pranay Roy said that the police have filed four cases in four police stations of Barisal Metropolitan in violent incidents centered on the anti-quota movement. Besides, one person filed a case as plaintiff. A total of 35 named people and two thousand 780 anonymous people have been accused in five cases. Of these, 60 people have been arrested till Tuesday afternoon. On the other hand, Superintendent of Barisal District Police Wahidul Islam said that 18 people have been arrested in the last two days from his 10 police station area. All have been arrested and sent to jail through the court in a sabotage case committed at Bakerganj police station.
What was discussed in last six days in Barisal?
After the internet service was stopped on the night of July 18, journalists were in trouble for publishing news in the media. Reporters have to struggle to send news related pictures, videos and news to the office. And in the midst of the news crisis, the number of local newspapers that were published had an abundance of pictures. On the other hand, the army has arranged for nearly two hundred tourists stuck in the tourist center of Kuakata to reach Dhaka by road through 4 buses. In which the district administration and members of the concerned district and metropolitan police have cooperated. Meanwhile, the law and order situation in Barisal Nagar was normal during the four days of curfew from Saturday to Tuesday. There was no report of any kind of road blockade or arson in the city and district.
Meanwhile, the streets were empty as public transport and shops were closed. Along with this, besides setting up police check posts at various important road junctions of the city, RAB, Police, BGB and Army patrols were strengthened. On the other hand, during the curfew, anyone who tries to move on the road outside of the emergency and authorized person has to be interrogated and turned back. Every morning, many people have been subjected to lathi charge due to the strict stance of the law and order forces, and many have been arrested and taken to the police station.
Meanwhile, after the verdict of the Appellate Division on Sunday, Sujoy Biswas Shuvo, the coordinator of Barisal University's protesting students on the quota reform, said, "We are talking to our coordinators across the country, based on the discussion, we will say what to do next. And so far the decision of the protesting students is that - "During the curfew, we students are not going to protest". Although the curfew is relaxed, the police administration warned that there is no opportunity to hold any kind of processions and gatherings during this time. Apart from this, two hundred tourists who were stuck in Kuakata in the afternoon were conveyed to Dhaka via Barisal by 4 buses.
ZH
