Over 200 hurt as oppn activists clash with law enforcers
At least seven opposition supporters were killed and over 300 injured in clashes between political activists and law enforcers across the country on Friday.
Three of the deaths were reported from Chandpur, two from Cox’s Bazar and one each from Satkhira and Nilphamari. In Chandpur, three BNP activists were killed and scores others injured in Faridganj upazila when police fired shots during a clash between the BNP and the Awami League supporters.
Two of the deceased were identified as Jahangir, 37, and Sharif, 22.
Jahangir, who sustained bullet wounds, died at the Chandpur sadar hospital while Sharif succumbed to injuries on the way to Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
In Cox’s Bazar, two people died and more than 50 hurt in Chakaria and Pekua when the BGB and police fired at least 50 rounds of bullet at a BNP procession that violated Section 144.
The deceased were identified as Mizanur Rahman and Badsha. However, BNP claimed that three of their activists were killed in the firing.
The local administration of Chakaria slapped the ban on rallying at about 12 noon on Friday and the local administration of Pekua imposed the restriction on Thursday.
Shariful Islam, 40, a Jamaat activist, was killed when a procession brought out by the BNP-led 18-party alliance in East Kashimar of Shyamnagar under Satkhira district came under attack from AL supporters.
Upazila Jamaat amir Prof. Abdul Jalil said when the procession, led by activists of the 18-party alliance, reached East Kashimari Bazar at about 10 am, some AL workers launched an attack in which Shariful Islam was killed.
Satkhira assistant police super Joydev Chowhdury, however, said that Shariful died due to cardiac arrest.
One Shibir activist was reported have died and 15 people were injured when Jamaat-Shibir activists and the police engaged in a clash at Jaldhaka in Nilphamari. Police fired at least 50 rounds of teargas shells to bring the situation under control. The activists, however, vandalised several vehicles during the incident.
Identified as Shibir man Moslem Uddin succumbed to bullet injuries.
At least four policemen were injured when a clash took place in front of the district deputy commissioner’s office in the afternoon. Police fired several rounds of rubber bullets and teargas shells to bring the situation under control.
In the Chittagong city, more than 50 people were injured during a clash between the supporters of the ruling party and the opposition alliance. Some 30 people were hurt in a similar incident in Sitakunda area of the district.
In Dhaka, a group of BNP activists allegedly torched a bus at Karwanbazar area on Friday evening. On receiving information, fire fighters rushed the spot and douse the flames. However, there
was no report of casualty.
Sub-inspector Nazmul Hasan of Tejgaon Police Station said some opposition activists set fire on the bus while returning from a meeting. No one was arrested in this connection, he added.
Thousands of policemen, members of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and Ansar had been deployed in the capital and elsewhere in the country to ensure security at the secretariat and other important government offices, rail and road bridges, power stations, fuel pumps and other strategic points. Over 50 persons have been detained from different parts of the country.
Local administrations imposed Section 144 in different districts, including Cox’s Bazar, Gournadi in Barisal, Jamalpur, Sirajganj, Tangail, Rupganj, Srimangal, Bogra, Gopalpur, Pabna, Panchagarh and Comilla to avert any untoward incident. However, the opposition tried to hold rallies, ignoring Section 144, and locked in fierce clashes with law enforcers.
In Patuakhali, at least 50 people, including policemen, were injured during clashes between the BNP and AL as well as and between the police and BNP men in Boufal and Golachipa upazilas and Shiali area in the district in the morning. The trouble began when local AL workers threw brickbats at the residence of upazila BNP president Faruk Ahmed Talukder at the Hospital Road. Angry BNP workers went on the offensive that triggered a fierce clash.
The police fired tear-gas shells and charged batons to bring the situation under control. Noresh Chandra Karmaker, officer-in-charge (OC) of Baufal Police Station, said three persons were detained and the situation has been brought under control.
In Bogra, some unidentified miscreants torched two rooms of the Nandigram Upazila Rural Development Board of Bangladesh (BRDB) office, some important papers and furniture early on Friday. Properties worth one lakh taka were burned. The police rushed to the spot and brought the fire under control, Shajahan Mia, OC of Nandigram Police Station, said.
The local administration imposed Section 144 at Nandigram and Dupcachia upazila municipality areas of the district as the AL and BNP called separate programmes in those areas at the same time.
Md Riaz Uddin, OC of Dupcachia Police Station, said the upazila administration imposed Section 144 in the two municipality areas from October 25 to till 8 am on October 26 to prevent any untoward incident.
In Sylhet, the local administration imposed Section 144 at Dakkhin Bazar in Beanibazar municipality area as two rival groups of the BNP-led 18-party alliance called separate meetings at the same venue at the same time. The restriction was in force from 6 am to 7 pm. Mohammad Shahidul Islam Chowdhury, upazila nirbahi officer of Beanibazar, confirmed the news.
In Comilla, the local administration imposed Section 144 to restrict political gatherings in Chauddagram upazila on the Dhaka-Chittagong highway to avert any untoward incident. The restriction was in force from 8 am to 12 noon.
In Narayanganj, at least 10 people were injured in a clash between the AL and BNP in Panchrukhi area under Arihazar upazila. The clash began when BNP activists and leaders were coming to the Dhaka rally. Akhter Morshed, OC of Arihazar Police Station, said that they detained three persons on the allegation of creating subversive activities.
Earlier, AL leaders and workers brought out a procession at Rupganj, and paraded the Dhaka-Sylhet highway and Asian highways. However, large contingents of policemen, RAB and BGB members patrolled the district, and mobile teams of executive magistrates and armoured cars of industrial police were also seen.
AL and BNP activists were standing face to face in Brahmanbaria while policemen and BGB members were alert to avert any untoward incident.
Leaders and workers of Juba League and Chhatra League brought out stray processions with polls and oars in the town, while police restricted BNP activists from bringing out any procession at the T&T Road.
Local AL leaders and activists brought out a procession carrying machetes and sticks at Shailakupa in Jhenidah in the morning.
On the other hand, BNP-Jamaat activists, wearing shrouds round their heads, brought out processions and held a rally at Kaliganj upazila of the district.
At least five people were injured in a clash between BNP-led 14 party alliance activists and the police in Naikhanchhari in Bandarban district.
AL activists and workers engaged in a clash with BNP in at Kaukhali, Rangamati, leaving eight persons injured.
In Bagherhat, at least 10 persons were injured in a clash between activists of BNP-Jamaat and AL in the morning. Of the injured, two BNP leaders are said to be in critical condition.
In Gazipur, at least 15 people, including two policemen, were injured in a clash between AL and BNP activists in the afternoon.
Our correspondent from Thakurgaon adds: At least 50 persons were injured in Ranisangkoil upazila as clashes took place between the activists of Awami League and 18-party alliance. Police fired at least 30 rounds of rubber bullet and tear-gas shells to bring the situation under control.
-With The Independent input
