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Hartal progressing peacefully

The countrywide dawn-to-dusk hartal called by 12 Islamic and like-minded parties is progressing peacefully on Sunday, which was endorsed by the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami.
They called the shutdown protesting what they said attacks on their Friday’s demonstrations, and also demanding punishment to ‘atheist’ bloggers.
Maulana Shah Ahmadullah Ashraf, ameer of Bangladesh Khelafat Andolan, announced the hartal programme at a press briefing in the city on Friday.
Educational institutions, shops remained closed and almost all modes of vehicles, except rickshaws and BRTC buses, stayed off the streets in the capital. No untoward incident was reported till filing of this report. All trains and passenger launches left in time from Kamalapur station and Sadarghat terminal respectively.
A few minor untoward incidents were reported during the hartal hours in the capital city Dhaka.
The pro-hartal activists set fire to a human hauler (locally known as Leguna) in Dhalpur Natunrasta area of Jatrabari around 6:30am. Later, local managed to douse the fire.
In another incident, police arrested a pro-hartal activist at Dholaipar in Shyampur area, said Abul Kalam Azad, officer-in-charge of Shyampur Police Station.
Huge contingents of police and Rapid Action Battalion personnel were deployed at all the key city points to maintain law and order during the hartal hours.
The ‘Ganajagaran Mancha’at Shahbagh, however, called the citizens to resist the lockdown and take to the streets in procession to thwart the people who use religion for business.

Day 20, Shahbag Movement : 

Anti-Hartal Procession Brought Forth By Projonmo Chottor

The demonstrators at Shahbag Projonmo Chottor brought forth a massive procession to protest today's Hartal called by Jamaat and its alliases. It started at 09.45 minute in the morning. The procession included thousands of people along with the demonstrators of Shahbag.

The procession is heading towards Paltan now, the place where anti-Shahbag mob unleashed mayhem after the Friday noon prayers.
Students from Dhaka University halls and other educational institutions had gathered at Shahbag since morning.Minister for Industries Dilip Barua expressed his solidarity with the procession taken out from Shahbag.
The procession heading to Paltan in the city, started with the participation of Chhatra League, Chhatra Union, JSD-BCL, Chhatra Moitree, Chhatra Andolon, Blogger and various social-cultural organizations.
Leaders said the procession would return to Shahbag after going round the Paltan intersection.
Protestors pledged to resist war criminals at the Saturday afternoon rally in Rayerbazar Intellectual Martyrs Mausoleum.
Later, Imran H Sarkar, the spokesperson of Shahbag, announced to continue demonstrations and appealed to the nation to oppose Sunday's strike.
In response to his calls, nationwide rallies were taking place with "Ganajagaran Mancha" banners demanding execution of 'war criminals'.
Different anti-hartal slogans are being chanted from the procession.

Amar Desh acting editor Mahmudur sued

A case was filed with Shahbag Police Station against Amar Desh acting editor Mahmudur Rahman for publishing provocative reports in his newspaper on Saturday.

Police filed the case against him at noon for instigating the activists of Jamaat-Shibir and other Islamic-minded parties to indulge in vandalism across the country on Friday by publishing ‘false anti-Islam reports’ in his newspaper.

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4 killed, 1000 hurt in clashes across country

At least 4 people were killed and over 1000 injured, 20 of them with bullets, when Jamaat and Shibir activists clashed with police and ruling party men in the capital and elsewhere in the country after Juma prayers on Friday.

Sustain stance against fascism: Mahmudur Rahman

Claiming that whatever Amar Desh said it has been true, editor Mahmudur Rahman urged his newspaper would continue its stance against fascism.

“The stance of the Daily Amar Desh will remain continue. It does not matter whether I stay inside or outside the jail for this,” he said, in a press briefing held at Amar Desh office in the city Saturday.

He also expressed his apprehension about his arrest by Saturday and he is ready for that.

Regarding the Shahbag demo, the Mahmudur Rahman said, “You have exaggerated and published it and one or two news media have also criticized it.”