The BNP has called a fresh 48-hour countrywide blockade starting at 6:00am on Sunday. This would be the ninth spell of blockade since October 28.

Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, senior joint secretary-general of the party, announced the programme yesterday afternoon after the party's dawn-to-dusk hartal ended amid a few incidents of arson attacks.

The BNP and its like-minded parties have been observing blockades, demanding the resignation of the Awami League government and election under a non-partisan interim administration. Hartals have been added to its political programmes after the announcement of the polls schedule.

The country witnessed moderate traffic yesterday, with only a few inter-district buses leaving the capital, according to transport workers.

During the strike, arsonists set fire to three buses and two lorries in Gazipur and Cumilla.

A bus of Itisha Paribahan was set on fire near Jirani Bazar in Kashimpur around 9:50am, with no injuries reported.

In the Jhajar area of Gazipur city, two lorries were torched on the Dhaka-Chattogram Bypass around 6:30am. Around 15 arsonists on motorcycles stopped the lorries carrying RMG products and set them on fire. They exploded a cocktail before fleeing the scene, according to the drivers.

In Cumilla, arsonists set fire to two parked buses of Trisha Paribahan in front of Irish Hill Hotel in Sadar South upazila near Dhaka-Chattogram highway around 2:30am.

Firefighters doused the fire, with no reported injuries.

According to the Fire Service and Civil Defence, a total of 236 vehicles have been torched, including five yesterday, across the country since October 28.

The BNP claimed that since then, 18,090 party leaders and activists have been arrested, including 380 yesterday. During this period, 475 cases were filed against party activists.

Rab said it arrested eight people yesterday, bringing the total held in connection with violence since October 28 to 803.

Later in the day, Rizvi, at a virtual press conference, criticised AL General Secretary Obaidul Quader's statement that they want a fair election just like the European Union (EU).

"The EU has talked about fair elections through the participation of all political parties, not just the Awami League. There will be a contest between Awami League candidates and boat candidates without any rivals. The Awami League is calling it a fair election. It's cheating and hypocrisy," he said.

"Obaidul Quader has asked US Ambassador Peter Haas to follow etiquette. Can this be said to an ambassador?" he asked.

Mentioning that different AL leaders and activists have threatened the US ambassador, Rizvi said that no action has been taken in this regard.