Fire fighters extinguishing a truck, torched by Jamaat-Shibir activists, at Hariyan Bypass in the city during hartal hours on Tuesday. PHOTO: KABIR TUHIN] Dhaka, Aug 13: Sporadic violence marred the first day of the 48-hour countrywide hartal, called by the Jamaat-e-Islami, since Tuesday morning.
More than 100 persons, including 10 cops, were injured in frequent clashes across the country.

The Jamaat-e-Islami, on August 1, called a 48-hour countrywide hartal for August 12 and August 13, hours after the High Court declared illegal its registration as a political party. It was later rescheduled to August 13 and August 14.
Meanwhile, Jamaat reduces the tenure of hartal from 48 hours to 36 hours. It informed its decision though a media statement on Tuesday night.
It said that the hartal tenure was reduced to enable the holiday goers to return to the capital peacefully.
In the capital, Jamaat activists tried to bring out processions in Badda, Jatrabari, Kalyanpur, Gulshan, Dhalpur, Azimpur and Gendaria areas. However, they were dispersed by law enforcers. A clash between police and hartal supporters took place in Badda area, when the law enforcers tried to disperse the pro-hartal activists by lobbing teargas shells and firing rubber bullets. Five persons were injured in the clash. The hartal supporters also hurled brickbats at the law enforcers during the clash.
About a dozen crude bombs exploded in different parts of the capital during the hartal. Police arrested two picketers from Azimpur area and two from Kachpur area.
Elsewhere in the city, picketers were hardly visible as additional security persons had been put on alert at all key points and intersections to avert any untoward incident.
Rickshaws and auto-rickshaws outnumbered motirised vehicles on the city streets. The number of commuters was less than usual as many had failed to return to the city from their country homes due to the shutdown that came on the heels of the Eid holidays.
Government offices and courts remained opened, but attendance was thin. The streets of Dhaka wore a deserted look.
Long-route buses did not leave the city terminals, but launch and train services were normal.
In Meherpur, at least 50 people, including 10 policemen, were injured, as hartal supporters clashed with cops at Garadob bazar in sadar upazila on Tuesday morning.
Police super Mofazzel Hossain said the clash had erupted when the police tried to disperse a procession brought out by Jamaat-Shibir activists. The pro-hartal activists hurled brickbats at the law enforcers. In retaliation, police fired 47 rounds of bullets and lobbed 13 teargas shells to bring the situation under control.
Gangni Police Station officer-in-charge Masudul Alam was among the injured.
Four people, including two suspected Shibir activists, were arrested from the spot.
Some picketers also blocked roads at Bandar, Baradi Bazar, Razanagar in sadar uapzila, as well as Monakhali bazaar road in Mujibnagar upazila, Meherpur-Kushtia road and Kathuli road.
In Chittagong, the first day of the 48-hour hartal passed off peacefully, apart from a few stray incidents of violence.
A private car driver sustained critical injuries as he was hit by a brick thrown by some picketers on Dhaka-Chittagong highway in Kumira Sultana Manjil area under Sitakunda upazila in the morning. On the other hand, police arrested a picketer from Halishahar area in the city.
In Rajshahi, some activists of the Jamaat-e-Islami took out whirlwind processions, torched trucks and exploded crude bombs during the hartal that started at around 6 am. A large contingent of police and Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) personnel were deployed at key points of the city to avert any violence.
At around 5:30 am, activists of the Islami Chhatra Shibir brought out a procession at Horian Bypass area and put barricades on the Rajshahi-Dhaka highway. They also torched a truck (Jhenaidah-TA-11-0174) at that time. On receiving the news, a fire service team rushed to the spot and doused the flames.
Shibir activists brought out whirlwind processions between 7.30 am to 8.30 am at Srirampur, Nawdapara Postal Academy and Dhrampur area of the city.The Shibir activists exploded several crude bombs and fled the spot before police reached there.
Later, police conducted drives in the city and arrested five suspected Shibir activists.
In Barisal, the first day of the nationwide hartal passed off with stray incidents of violence.
In Khulna, police detained four Jamaat men from the city’s Sonadanga areas around 9.30 am.
In Sylhet, pro-hartal activists brought out a procession from the city’s Shahi Eidgah area. On Monday night, police arrested 10 shibir activists from different parts of Sylhet.
In Natore, Jamaat-Shibir activists blocked the Natore-Dhaka highway in Harishpur. The picketers also vandalised a private car on the Dhaka-Rajshahi highway.
In Bogra, Jamaat-Shibir activists brought out a procession at 7.15 am at Sherpur road in the town and burnt tyres on the streets.
In Laxmipur, Jamaat-Shibir activists exploded 10 crude bombs and brought out processions at different places in the district. They blocked the Laxmipur-Ramgati road at 7 am and exploded 10 crude bombs. Five suspected Islami Chhatra Shibir men were sentenced to six months’ imprisonment for picketing on Tuesday. They are Golam Azam (22), M Akhtaruzzaman (23), M Anas Kamal (21), M Alauddin (25), and M Bilal Hossain (30).
In Kharulia area of Cox’s Bazar, a passenger of a bus was killed when the hartal supporters chased the bus. The driver lost control and the bus fell in a ditch.