At least 15 inter-district buses left Dhaka till noon today on the second day of the two-day countrywide blockade called by BNP and its allies.

The number of buses has increased today, compared to the five previous spells of blockades or hartals enforced since October 29, our staff correspondent reports.

On the first day of blockade yesterday, the number of buses leaving the terminal was fewer than five.

According to the sources at the Gabtoli bus terminal, only one or two buses were leaving the capital till noon during previous blockades.

More than 100 long-distance buses leave Dhaka from the bus stand during normal days.

Md Lalon, counter master of Hanif Paribahan, told The Daily Star that six of their buses -- three going to Barishal and three to Khulna-- left the terminal from the morning till 12:30pm.

Swapan Chandra Das, a staffer at the Shyamoli NR Paribahan counter, said that they could operate only one bus from the morning. But they expected that they would run one bus in the evening and another at the night.

Alamgir Hossain, counter master of DD Paribahan, said they will operate a bus on the Dhaka-Chuadanga route around 6:30pm and 10:00pm.

They have no problem running the long-distance services if there is a sufficient number of passengers, he added.

BNP and its allies called the first hartal on October 29 demanding resignation of the government, and later in protest of the election schedule announced by the Election Commission on November 15.