At least 70 people were injured in clashes with law enforcement personnel during the countrywide procession and rallies of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)-led 18-Party Alliance on Sunday. Leaders and activists of the BNP-led alliance organised the nationwide processions and rallies demanding that the detained leaders be released immediately and the caretaker government system be restored for holding free and fair elections. BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir announced the programme at a press conference at BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia’s Gulshan office on Saturday.
In the capital, the programme was marked by some stray incidents of violence, in which crude bombs were exploded and vehicles vandalised.
Leaders and activists of the 18-Party Alliance brought out a brisk procession at Bijoynagar area in the afternoon, when the police fired blank shots to disperse them.
Witnesses said the agitators brought out the procession and tried to blockade the street. They also made an attempt to vandalise several vehicles and blasted several crude bombs.
The police fired teargas shells and several rounds of blank shots to disperse them, sparking panic in the area.
In the morning, Jamaat-Shibir activists brought out a procession from Magbazar Chowrasta to Ramna Thana and held a meeting at the Wireless intersection. They also blasted five crude bombs, sparking panic in the area.
As part of the programme, the 18-Party Alliance’s leaders and activists brought out processions and held rallies in different districts, demanding that their detained leaders be immediately released and the CG system restored in order to hold free, fair and acceptable parliamentary polls.
In Tangail, at least 30 people were injured in a clash with law enforcement personnel and BNP-Jamaat leaders and activists at Victoria Road of the town around 12:15pm.
Witnesses said the alliance leaders and activists brought out a procession, led by BNP district general secretary Shamsul Alam Tofa, from Shahid Smriti Pauro Uddyan.
When the procession reached Victoria Road, the police resisted them. The agitators then hurled brick chips at the police, who later charge batons and fired rubber bullets, leaving around 30 people injured, including a policeman.
In Narayanganj, at least 10 people were injured in a clash with law enforcement personnel, when BNP leaders and activists brought out a procession at Fatullah in the afternoon.
Witnesses said when BNP leaders and activists brought out a procession from Fatullah Shibu market area and arrived in front of Narayanganj zilla parishad, the police resisted them. But soon they engaged in a clash and the police, finding no option, fired several rounds of blank shots to disperse them.
In Mymensingh, at least 30 people were injured in a clash between local BNP and Awami League leaders and activists in the afternoon.
Witnesses said the local BNP leaders and activists brought out a procession as part of the centrally organised programme. When the marchers reached Patbazar Chowrasta, the AL leaders and activists hurled brick chips at the procession from the residence of the municipality mayor. In retaliation, BNP activists vandalised the mayor’s house.
AL activists fired several rounds of bullets from the roof of Sonali Bank at the BNP leaders and clashed with the activists. Soon the town turned into a battlefield, leaving around 30 people injured, with some sustaining bullet injuries.
The 18-Party Alliance leaders and activists also brought out processions in Nilphamari, Chuadanga, Moulvibazar, Pirojpur, Pabna, Khulna, Manikganj, Nawabganj, Panchagarh, Noakhali, Khagrachhari and Mymensingh as part of the programme.
-With The Independent input
