Stray incidents of violence marked hartals in Bogra and Sirajganj districts while demonstrations were organised in Dhaka by Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) supporters in protest against a court order seeking an Interpol warrant of arrest for BNP senior vice-chairman Tarique Rahman.
Rahman has been charged with money laundering.Again, local BNP leaders of nine districts have called a string of hartals on May 28 in Faridpur, Kishoreganj, Joypurhat, Tangail and Feni and on May 29 in Chittagong, Chandpur, Narsingdi and Faridpur to protest against the order for the arrest of BNP’s senior vice-chairman Tarique Rahman.
At least 50 BNP activists were injured, including district secretary Joynal Abedun Chan, former MP Helaluzzaman Talukdar Lalu, Mohila Dal leader Nilufa Kuddus, Bogra municipality panel mayor Parimol Chandra Das and district Seccha Sebok Dal secretary Swapon Dewan, Bogra correspondent reports.
The BNP’s Bogra district enforced a daylong hartal on Monday, which was observed amid stray incidents of violence. The strike was called on Sunday in protest against the arrest warrant issued by a Dhaka court against the party’s senior vice-chairman Tarique Rahman in a money laundering case.
The district committee general secretary of the BNP, Joynal Abedin Chan, confirmed the news over cell phone.
Sources said at around 11:30am, the pro-hartal activists brought out a procession from Altafunnesa playground and tried to march to Satmatha, the main centre of the town, but the police foiled their attempt.
Some Molotov cocktails were hurled at the police from the procession and pro-hartal activists clashed with law enforcement personnel. The police then charged batons and fired 38 rounds of rubber bullets and three rounds of teargas to disperse the Opposition activists, said officer in charge of Bogra Sadar police station Sayed Shaheed Alam.
Injured BNP leaders and activists were being treated in different clinics and private health institutions in the town, district BNP sources confirmed.
A procession of BNP activists led by Maftun Ahmed Khan Rubel, president of the Sadar upazila unit of the BNP, was also brought out at Baghopara in the town in the morning. BNP activists blocked the road by burning tyres and also vandalised at least 10 vehicles. Later, the police charged batons to disperse the activists.
Activists of the Jatiyatabadi Swechhasebak Dal blocked the road, placing electric poles at Khandar area of the town in the morning. Pro-hartal activists also blocked roads in Shahjahanpur upazila by placing logs and burning tyres. The district unit of the Mohila Dal also brought out a procession which marched through the town.
In Sirajganj, picketers vandalised two rickshaws at Gosala Road and Jogai crossing in the morning.
A group of leaders and activists of the district units of the BNP, Juba Dal and Chhatra Dal brought out a procession from the party office in the morning. It ended near Bazar Station Square after marching through the main roads of the town.
All shops and business establishments remained closed during the strike. The shutdown did not have any impact on the functioning of the educational institutions as most of them were closed for the summer vacation.
-With The Independent input
