Half-day hartal observed in South Surma

Traders kept their shutters down and transport owners stopped plying their vehicles during the hartal hours. Inter-district buses service including those on Dhaka-Sylhet route also remained suspended.

At least 10 vehicles including trucks, minibuses and auto-rickshaws were damaged by pickets during the hartal.

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The agitated traders held protest rallies at Babna, Railgate, Chandipul and at Bangabir points.

Bangabir Road Bayboshayee Samity called the hartal demanding arrest of the JCD cadres, who attacked the traders Wednesday night.

Protesting the incident, Sylhet district and city units of Awami Juba League, youth front of opposition Awami League, also announced a three-day agitated programme, which will end today (Sunday) with a half-day hartal in Sylhet city. They also held rallies and brought out processions in the city yesterday and the day before demanding immediate arrest of the killers and to drum up support for today's hartal.

Locals said, Ayub along with nine traders were injured in the attack Wednesday night that ensued after a hot exchange of words between the JCD men and traders.

The JCD cadres vandalised several shops at Bangabir Road during the attack. The JCD men had allegedly been engaged in collecting illegal toll from traders in Bangabir area for long.

The locals claimed that a JCD group allegedly led by Abdul Mannan, JCD general secretary in Ward No. 26 had demanded toll from some traders on Tuesday, but they declined and informed the matter to the business community.

When leading traders were discussing the matter Wednesday night, JCD cadres swooped on them all of a sudden.

Ayub and nine others were injured. He was immediately taken to a private clinic, where he died at about 9 pm Thursday.

In an instant protest, agitated traders and locals brought out a procession and put up a road barricade at Chandipul on the Dhaka-Sylhet highway Wednesday night.

It was withdrawn after three hours as the administration and police officials assured the readers of arresting the accused people.

A case was filed accusing 10 JCD activists including Abdul Mannan after the death of Ayub.

Traders alleged that they went to Sylhet Kotwali thana Wednesday night to lodge a case against extortion by JCD cadres but police did not record it.

Police said two persons including an FIR-named accused were arrested on Friday.