Online Desk: A total of 460 patrol teams of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) have been deployed in Dhaka and elsewhere in the country to maintain law and order as the 48-hour countrywide hartal called by the BNP, Jamaat and likeminded opposition parties began this morning.

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

Today, on the first day of the 48-hour hartal, 160 RAB teams were deployed in Dhaka to avoid any untoward incident, he said.

The remaining 300 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 blockade and hartal from the end of last month.

BNP, Jamaat and like-minded opposition parties called a 48-hour countrywide hartal after the general election schedule was announced by the Election Commission (EC).

At least nine vehicles including a commuter train were torched by miscreants from last night till this morning, ahead of the hartal.