Law enforcers put on high alert
At least two people were killed, about 100 injured and over 50 vehicles damaged as opposition activists went on the rampage and clashed with police across the country to protest the announcement of election schedule. Of the deaths, one each was reported from the capital and from Manoharpur of Comilla. In the capital, a rickshaw-puller was critically injured when a pick-up, chased by agitating opposition activists, dashed the three-wheeler from behind at Merul Badda around 8:30pm.
Officer-in-charge of Badda Police Station Iqbal Hossain said the rickshaw-puller, Ujjal, 50, of Dhunat upazila in Bogra, was rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital where doctors pronounced him dead.
Opposition activists also hurled at least eight crude bombs on the Dhaka University campus, in front of the BNP central office at Naya Paltan and at Mohakhali.
Two trucks were set on fire at Dania on the Dhaka-Chittagong Highway around 8pm.
Police said three crude bombs were blasted at the Teacher-Student Center of DU, three in front of the BNP office and two at Mohakhali.
At Mohakhali, police fired several blank shots to disperse the opposition activists.
In Comilla, one person was killed and 10 people were injured, 5 with bullets, during a clash with police at Manoharpur village around 8:00pm.
BNP’s associate student body Chhatra Dal claimed that the deceased, Delwar Hossain, 25, was one of their activists. Police said BNP-Jamaat activists brought out a procession to protest the announcement of the polls schedule and blasted dozens of crude bombs. As police tried to disperse the protestors, they engaged into a clash with the law enforcers.
Police fired several bullets and teargas canisters to bring the situation under control.
Six people, including Delwar, received bullet injuries during the melee. Delwar was rushed to Comilla Medical College Hospital where he died about 10:30 pm.
The Superintendent of Police of Comilla confirmed the death of Delwar.
Blasts, arson, vandalism and clashes were also reported from Satkhira, Gazipur, Rajshahi, Bogra, Jhenidah, Chapainawabganj, Habiganj, Noakhali, Satkhira, Laxmipur and Dinajpur.
In Satkhira, at least 20 persons were injured during a clash between Jamaat-Shibir and police in the district headquarters. They also blasted 10 crude bombs.
In a clash at Debhata Gazir Hat of the district, police fired at least 50 rounds of bullet during a clash between law enforces and Jamaat-Shibir activists that left 20 inured.
In Bogra, BNP leaders and activists clashed with law enforcers, leaving 10 injured.
The agitating BNP men vandalised about 50 vehicles, shops, creating panic in the town. Police detained three persons from the area.
Earlier, local administration deployed four platoons of Border Guard Bangladesh in the district. In Habiganj, leaders and activists BNP and police locked in clashes at different points including Shyestanagar, Corut Station and Pauramarket in the town. BNP activists blasted crude bombs, vandalised police vehicles and set fire, leaving one police injured.
In Noakhali, BNP activists vandalised at least 10 vehicles in the town and blockaded Rail Gate Karimpur Road.
In Rajshahi, several crude bombs were blasted in front of the Rajshahi regional election commission office. Agitated BNP men also hurled several crude bombs at the Malopara Police Station. The police detained seven persons during the attack.
In Sylhet, BNP activists blasted several crude bombs and hurled petrol bombs at the local Awami League office at Ibrahimnagar around 8pm. The agitating activists brought out a procession and vandalised at least 10 vehicles and exploded about 50 crude bombs. Additional police, RAB and BGB personnel were deployed in the city to maintain law and order.
BNP and Jamaat-shibir men damaged at least five vehicles and torched a motorcycle in Dinajpur town and at Birganj upazila around 8:30pm.
Meanwhile, Law enforcement personnel are carrying out strict vigil across the country to avert any subversive activity as the chief election commissioner addressed the nation at 7:30pm on Monday, when he announced the schedule of the 10th parliamentary elections and the preparations made for them.
Some 20,000 police and Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) personnel, along with 20 platoons of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) personnel were deployed at nine points in the capital and its adjacent areas. Besides, the riot police, Armed Police Battalion (APBN), SWAT team and bomb disposal teams have also been kept on alert. In addition, a sufficient number of water cannons and APCs will be deployed at sensitive points.
According to sources in Police Headquarters, a high-level meeting was held on Thursday about the security measures ahead of the announcement of the 10th parliamentary election schedule. At the meeting, the high-ranking law enforcing officials decided to beef up security and vigilance in the capital and other districts of the country from Monday morning.
The high-ranking officials also decided to deploy an additional 8,000 policemen and 2,000 RAB personnel along with regular forces at different key points of the capital and its adjacent areas, including the entry and exit points such as Sadarghat launch terminal, Kamlapur railway station and Gabtoli, Mohakahli and Sayedabad bus terminals.
A high-ranking official of Police Headquarters, requesting anonymity, told The Independent, “We have already ensured sufficient stocks of teargas shells and rubber bullets to field-level police officials to ensure the highest security measures.” Besides this, most of the key points in the capital would also be monitored by CCTV cameras. For that reason, some temporary police camps have also been set up at several points, he said.
Meanwhile, a BGB spokesperson told The Independent that “The BGB forces would be deployed if the district commissioners demand personnel from us.”
In this regard, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Hasan Mahmud Khondokar told The Independent, “The law enforcers are on high alert to avert any subversive activity across the country. If anyone tries to create anarchy, the law enforcers will take all necessary steps to maintain the law and order.”
“Security vigil has already been increased in the capital and other districts of the country. The police will patiently resist all kinds of violent activities,” Khondokar added.
-With The Independent input
