Unidentified goons attacked a rally organised in the city on Friday afternoon in protest against ‘state-sponsored terrorism’ against Limon Hossain.
Witnesses and organisers said a group of youths had pounced on the demonstration when a street drama, Khekshial (jackals) was being staged by Aranyak Natyadal in front of the National Museum at around 4:30pm.
The youths mounted the stage and threw away the public address system and props and many of the witnesses initially thought it was an action of the play, they said.
The attackers fled after and the organisers chased
them and caught one of them, said Ariful Islam, a student activist.
Police promptly arrived on the scene, rescued the youth and took him away, he added.
There was no police deployment during the demonstration which took place just 50 yards from Shahbagh police station.
The Shahbhagh police officer-in -charge, Rezaul Karim, said the organisers did not inform them about the programme so they could not deploy force for their protection.
He said people had handed over a person named Al-Amin to them. ‘The youth told us he works at a shop at Jatrabari. It seems he was a bystander. We are verifying his identity.’
Sangkhubdha Nagarik Samaj, a civic forum, has been organising demonstrations, including human chains and cultural programmes, every Friday since June 3 to protest against ‘state-sponsored terrorism’ against Limon.
The Rapid Action Battalion shot Limon Hossain in his leg on March 23 in Jhalakati, less than a fortnight before his higher secondary examinations were to begin. Physicians at orthopaedic hospital in Dhaka amputated him.
The Sangkhubdha Nagarik Samaj in a statement condemned the attack on its demonstration and demanded punishment to the culprits.
‘We suspect that anti-liberation elements and the people responsible for Limon’s shooting are behind the attack,’ said the statement signed by Masood Imran.
Speakers at Friday’s demonstration demanded punishment of those involved in the shooting of Limon, compensation for his injuries and harassment, stopping plots to file cases against him and ensuring security of his family.
BRAC University teacher Pias Karim, playwright Mannan Hira, workers’ leader Mushrefa Mishu, politician Zonayed Saki and writer Rahnuma Ahmed attended the demonstration.
-With New Age input
