Shawdesh Desk:

A total of 425 patrol teams of Rapid Action Battalion were deployed in Dhaka and elsewhere in the country to maintain law and order as the second day of the 48-hour countrywide hartal called by main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party, its allies in the ongoing movement, and Jamaat, was underway.

Imran Khan, assistant superintendent of police at the RAB headquarters (Media Wing), confirmed the development in the morning.

Of them, 145 RAB teams were deployed in Dhaka to avoid any untoward incident, he said.

The remaining 280 RAB patrol teams were deployed across the country along with other forces, the RAB official said.

Members of the elite force have been performing their duties since the opposition parties began observing blockades and hartals from the end of last month.

BNP, Jamaat and some other opposition parties called a 48-hour countrywide hartal after the general election schedule was announced by the Election Commission.

Meanwhile, Fire Service recorded at least 16 arson attacks from Sunday till 9:00am on Monday morning. Nine buses, six trucks, one covered van, one CNG-run autorickshaw, and three carriages of a train were burnt during this period.