Off the wire
• Two more people killed as looting spreads in S. Africa  • AU hails Zambia's successful election  • Roundup: Cyprus keeping close watch on Greek dev't after SYRIZA electoral victory  • Jordanian lawmaker urges IS to release captive pilot  • A new normal Chinese economy requires decisive role of market: expert  • Roundup: Williams sisters semi on track at Australian Open  • Feature: Holocaust education becomes a must in Israel for nationalism  • China seeks opinions on government work report  • Ebola deals heavy blow on Air Namibia  • Malaysia Airlines says user data secured after DNS compromised  
You are here: 　 Home

36-hour strike in Bangladesh ends with incidents, arrests

Xinhua, January 26, 2015 Adjust font size:

A 36-hour countrywide general strike ended at 6 p.m. local time on Monday evening, during which at least 15 vehicles were torched and six people wounded.

The strike was enforced by the 20-party alliance led by Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chief former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia.

The work stoppage was called to protest the proposed power tariff hike and arrests of the alliance's men.

The number of vehicles in the capital's streets was almost normal. Eyewitnesses said all sorts of vehicles were seen on the streets, but a low number of private cars were seen.

At least 15 vehicles had been torched across the country and six bogies of a train derailed on the first day of the 36-hour work stoppage, disrupting the railway service between southeastern Chittagong and northeastern Sylhet as the railway track was removed by the activists.

Eyewitnesses also said that they did not see any processions during the work stoppage.

But police said at least 25 pickets had been arrested during the general strike.Six passengers were burnt as arsonists threw petrol bombs on the buses.

Educational institutions have been closed, but the shopping centers remained open during the strike.

The indefinite countrywide blockade called by khaleda Zia was also in force on Monday. Endi