Dhaka, Thursday — The capital remained tense on Thursday morning as public movement dropped sharply following the banned Awami League’s announcement of a “lockdown” program.
Public transport services operated on a limited scale, with only a few buses plying the streets and most carrying very few passengers. Private vehicles were also noticeably fewer than usual. Though educational institutions were technically open, student attendance remained low.
Visits to key city areas — including Gulistan, Paltan, Motijheel, Kakrail, Shahbagh, Farmgate, Science Lab, and Kawran Bazar — revealed a similar scenario, with roads largely dominated by autorickshaws.
To prevent unrest, eight political parties — among them Jamaat-e-Islami and the NCP, which are pressing for a referendum and five other demands — maintained an active presence on the ground. While the BNP did not directly take part, sources indicated the party was ready to respond to any developments. Law enforcement personnel were stationed at major points throughout the capital.
A guardian of a student from Government Laboratory School said he had chosen not to send his child to school out of fear of potential violence. Azizul Haque Sujon, accompanying his ailing mother to Bangladesh Medical from Uttara, said, “Although we haven’t faced trouble so far, there’s still a sense of unease everywhere.”
The banned Awami League and its affiliated groups announced the “lockdown” through social media, coinciding with the date set for the International Crimes Tribunal’s verdict against Sheikh Hasina.
Since the announcement, party activists have been staging flash processions across the capital while avoiding police patrols. Reports indicate several crude bomb explosions, and at least ten buses have been set ablaze in recent days.
Outside Dhaka, similar incidents were reported — including in Fulbaria, Mymensingh, where one person was killed after a bus was torched.
Law enforcement agencies have blamed the banned Awami League for the violence, but party leaders have denied any involvement on social media.
