A Correspondent:
Chattogram: No long route buses left Chattogram district on Tuesday during the first day of a three-day blockade imposed by the opposition.
No vehicles were seen plying on Dhaka-Chattogram highway but movement of vehicles inside the cities was normal.
No long route buses left Chattogram for Cox’s Bazar, Bandarban and Khagrachari districts.
Besides, three buses were torched on the first day of the nationwide three-day blockade, enforced by BNP and like-minded opposition parties on Tuesday.
Miscreants set fire to a bus at Saltgola area in the Port City around 6am and two others at Dampara Bus counter and Oxygen-Hathazari road around 10:30 am on Monday and 3:30 am early yesterday, respec-tively, said Rubel Hawladar, officer-in-charge of Khulshi Police Station.
On information, firefighting units extinguished the blaze.
However, no one was injured during the arson attacks.
Police arrested fourteen picketers from the Akbar Shah City Gate area in the afternoon, said Waliullah Akbar, officer-in-charge of Akbar Shah Police Station.
They also vandalised 10-12 vehicles from City Gate to Pakkar Matha.
Meanwhile, security has been beefed up on highways as BGB personnel were seen patrolling on Dhaka-Chattogram highway and Mirsarai upazilas since Monday night, said Manirul Islam, assistant superinten-dent of (Mirsarai circle) police.
Two platoons of BGB have been deployed in Mirsarai and Jorarganj areas to avoid untoward incidents, he said.
Shahed Minhaz Siddique, Commanding officer of BGB-8 Battalion, said four platoons BGB have been deployed in Sitakunda and Mirsarai upazilas to ensure safety on the Dhaka-Chattogram highway.
No picketing was seen but the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami activists brought out processions in support of the blockade.
