At least ten people, including two Chhatra League activists, were killed and over 100 others injured during the countrywide dawn-to-dusk hartal, called by the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, on Sunday, in protest of the execution of its leader Abdul Quader Mollah. Four people died in Lalamonirhat, three in Joypurhat, and one each in Laxmipur, Sylhet and Narayanganj.Picketers removed fish-plates of the railway tracks near Annadanagar Station in Pirgachha upazila, leading to the derailment of the engine and two compartments of an inspection train in the wee hours of Sunday. This suspended the train communication on the Rangpur-Kurigram-Dinajpur route.
In Noakhali, leaders of the 18-Party Alliance called a dawn-to-dusk hartal, in protest of the police firing on Saturday that had left six people dead.
In Lalmonirhat, four people were killed and 15 others injured in a clash with the police at Sareyarbazar area of Jagotber union under Patgram upazila on Sunday morning.
The deceased were identified as Monirul Islam (23), president of the Patgram upazila unit of Chhatra Shibir, and two Shibir activists Abdur Rahim (25) and Saju (22), and Jubo League activist Mintu (45).
Witnesses said some activists of the Jamaat-e-Islami, and its student wing, Chhatra Shibir, had put up barricades on a road at Sareyarbazar area around 6am. They were later dispersed by the police and a group of Bangladesh Chhatra League supporters. The Jamaat-Shibir activists exploded crude bombs and hurled brickbats at the law enforcers. Of the injured, Monirul died on the way to hospital, while Saju succumbed to his injuries at the Patgram upazila health complex. The rest were admitted to different hospitals and clinics.
Mintu, however, was hacked by the Shibir activists at Mirjarcourt area. He, too, died at the Patgram health complex.
In the aftermath of the incident, clashes began to erupt in different areas. Both ruling and opposition party activists started ransacking houses and shops. Houses of Asir uddin, chairman of Burimari union and BNP union president, Abdus Salam Bakul, principal of Barokhata College and Hasanujjaman came under arson attack.
Later, fire fighters rushed to the spot and doused the flames. Additional contingents of police and BGB have been deployed in the area to avert any untoward incident. The local administration has imposed Section 144 in the area till 11pm, our correspondent reports.
In Joypurhat, a van-puller was killed when violence erupted between Jamaat-Shibir activists and the police at Puranapoil area of Sadar upazila in the afternoon. Ten people received bullet injuries from police firing during the clash. The deceased were identified as Firoz Hossain, 30, a van puller and son of late Fazlur Rahman, Insan, 27, son of Momtaj Ali of Halutti village, and Shakib, Hossain, 25, son of Iqbal Hossain of Jalatul village in the upazila.
Witnesses said the clash had erupted around 4:30pm when hundreds of Jamaat-Shibir activists took position on the street in support of the hartal. They blasted four petrol bombs and targeted the Rajshahi Krishi Unnayan Bank at Puranapoil area. They even hurled crude bombs at the police. In retaliation, the law enforcers opened fire, leaving Firoz, who was standing at a distance, dead.
Following the incident, the local administration clamped Section 144 in Joypurhat municipality area. The restriction will remain in force from 5pm Sunday until 6am Monday.
Our Noakhali correspondent reports that at least 15 unidentified miscreants hacked to death the district BCL General secretary, Mirajul Islam (30), and injured BCL supporter Masudur Rahman on the Laximpur-Raypur highway near Panpara around 5:30 pm.
Raypur Police Station officer-in-charge Rupak Kumar Saha told the Independent that they have recovered body and sent it to hospital morgue.
In Narayanganj, a shibir activist was shot dead allegedly by police firing at the Ukilpara area under Sadar Upazila in the district on Sunday. The victim was identified as Mohammad Rusel, 22.
In Sylhet, another Awami League leader was killed in Kanaighat upazila early Sunday. The victim was identified as Nazrul Islam, 35, of village Doloimati.
Unidentified miscreants hurled four crude bombs at Daily Sangram office, located at the Moghbazar wireless rail gate in capital Dhaka, on Sunday night.
Staff reporter of the Daily Sangram Mohammad Mia Hossain told The Independent, “unidentified miscreants riding on several motorbikes the bombs targeting our office at around 11:15pm.”
Of the four bombs two exploded outside the main gate while the other two went off inside the boundary wall of the office building. However, none was injured in the incident, he added.
In the capital, picketers torched a CNG-driven auto rickshaw at Demra area around 6:30am.
Two Shibir activists were arrested from a house at Kalayanpur in the city, with large quantities of gun powder. They were identified as Khaled (45) and Sajid (25).
RAB helicopters monitored Dhaka and kept an eye on sensitive areas of the capital during the hartal hour. Jamaat-Shibir activists brought out several processions at different parts of the city and locked in regular clashes with the law enforcers, leaving 10 people injured.
In Jatrabari, a group of Islami Chhatra Shibir activists, led by Islami Chhatra Shibir president (Dhaka West Zone) Shahin Ahmed Khan, brought out a procession at Jatrabari area and marched towards Shanirakhr area around 7:30am.
Incidents of violence were also reported from different districts, including Rajshahi, Chuadanga, leaving over 30 people injured.
In Rajshahi, violence erupted at Binodpur are in the city as a clash between the police and picketers, leaving at least 10 people injured.
At least 25 peoples were injured following a clash at 7:15am between supporters of Jamaat-Shibir and the police at Binodpur area.
In Feni, miscreants set fire to the district Jamaat-e-Islami office during the early hours, leaving several shops burnt.
In Faridpur, the police detained at least two Shibir activists for carrying petrol bombs. They were Jamal (22) and Rabikul (20).
In Narayangong, Shibir activists hurled two petrol bombs at the Chashara police camp in the morning. Six shibir activists were detained after a clash between hartal supporters and the police held at Ukil para in early hours today.
-With The Independent input
