Leftists call half-day hartal in Sylhet
Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) has called a half-day hartal for Monday in the district protesting an attack on its meeting by Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) in which CPB Chief Mujahidul Islam Selim was seriously injured. At least 20 persons of both the sides were injured during the clash. Witnesses said at around 5pm on Sunday, when Sylhet district committees of CPB and BASAD were observing their divisional convention jointly at Court Point in the city, a rapid rally of BCL moved forward to the stage and started vandalising.
Central CPB President Mujahidul Islam Selim, District Chhatra Union President Anwar Hussain, Sohiduzzam Paplu and five other Chhatra Union activists were injured at that time.
BNP has backed the shutdown by the leftist parties. BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir in a statement denounced the attack on the rally of the two left-learning parties.
Witnesses said the BCL men attacked on the meeting as the speakers were criticising the government.
Later, BCL tried to bring out a rally but Rapid Action Battelion (RAB) personnel along with police brought the situation under control firing over 50 blank shots and lobbing teargas shells.
CPB Central President Mujahidul Islam Selim, Central General Secretary of BASAD Comrade Khalekuzzaman Bhuiyan, CBP General Secretary Abu Jafar Ahmed, Central BASAD leader Comrade Firoz, District President of CPB Bedananda Bhattacharja and other activists were present in the convention.
-With The Independent input
