Hefazat militants set fire to the central public library in Bangladesh's Brahmanbaria district, the birthplace of legendary Indian sarod player and multi-instrumentalist Alauddin Khan, during a nationwide strike on Sunday. Hefazat-e-Islam went on strike in Dhaka, Narsingdi, Narayanganj, Brahmanbaria, Chittagong, Sylhet, Rajshahi and other districts.

There were no long-distance buses on the road, although rickshaw and auto-rickshaw traffic was normal.

Students of Narayanganj Madaninagar Madrasa set fire and set up barricades on the Dhaka-Chittagong highway.

Among the burnt items is the famed sarod the maestro used.

Other items such as 250 rare books, 2500 pictures, documents, music manuscripts written by Ustadji and rare pictures were also destroyed.

Machinery worth Rs 35 lakh was decimated along with 12 harmoniums, 19 pairs of tabla, sitar, violin, khanjan and rabab.

Behind the banner of Hifazat-e-Islam in Sylhet, Jamaat-e-Islami activists marched in different parts of the city, including court points, after the morning prayers.

On Sunday, militants set fire to two permanent buses of the state-owned Bangladesh Road Transport and Corporation (BRTC) at the Rajshahi Truck Terminal in the Amchatar area of the city.

Shah Makhdum Police Station Officer-in-Charge Saiful Islam Khan said police were investigating the incident.

Hefazat-e-Islam leaders announced a nationwide strike at a press briefing in the capital's Puran Paltan on Friday night.

Four people were killed and at least 50 others were injured in a clash between Hifazat supporters and police at Hathazari in Chittagong on Friday.

At least 50 people, including several journalists, were injured in clashes between supporters of extremist forces and police in the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque area on Friday afternoon.

Clashes erupted when police prevented people from marching after Friday prayers in protest againsts Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit.

(IBNS)