10 killed, 270 injured so far
Staff Correspondent
Despite deployment of a huge number of law enforcers, post-polls violence continued in different parts of the country on Sunday, raising the death toll to 10 and the number of injured people to 270.
An elderly woman, Subhashini Das, who was injured in an incident of post-poll violence at Kuliarchar in Kishoreganj on December 30, 2008, died at the local upazila health complex on Sunday.
Two of the people killed so far reportedly died of cardiac arrest at the sight of violent clashes between rival political activists in Pabna and Sherpur.
Shariful Alam, who was a BNP-led alliance candidate for the Kishoreganj 6 constituency, alleged that about 30 Awami League activists reportedly led by Rubel, younger brother of AL president of Kuliarchar upazila unit Abul Hossain Liton, attacked the house of BNP resident of Ward 3 Nityalal Das on December 30.
‘They hacked Nityalal Das, his mother Subhashini Das, sister and wife when they tried to resist them,’ he said.
Nityalal was admitted to Zohurul Islam Medical College Hospital from where he was shifted to Dhaka Apollo Hospital.
Later, the group also attacked the houses of BNP leaders Anil Chandra and Shahed Member and beat them up. Nityalal’s mother Subhashini was admitted to the Kuliarchar Upazila Health Complex as her condition deteriorated Sunday morning and she died there in the evening.
In Jessore, more than 25 people, reportedly Awami League activists, chased out about 500 farmers from the fields while they were working at the paddy fields at Gulbaghpur under Jhikargachha upazila in Jessore on Sunday.
The farmers were supposed to be supporters of BNP-led alliances. The attackers demanded Tk 3 lakh from them and took away the tractors and swallow machines, the farmers alleged.
In Mymensingh, two village doctors, Mujibur Rahman and Mizanur Rahman, were badly wounded in an attack allegedly by Awami League activists in post-elections violence at Maheshpur Bazar of Iswarganj upazila Sunday afternoon.
In Manikganj, Awami League activists beat up Mozammel Haq, chairman of Shayesta Union Parishad of Shibalay upazila and also a local BNP leader, on Sunday.
In view of the continuing violence, the Election Commission extended the tenure of presence of army personnel in the field up to January 5 from the earlier schedule of December 31.
The police in a press release on Sunday said so far they arrested a total of 114 people in connection with the post-polls violence. Twenty-one of them were arrested from Jhenaidah and it was followed by 12 in Barisal, 11 in Sherpur, eight in Jamalpur, five in Gazipur and four in Khulna city.
The police headquarters recorded a total of 51 incidents related to post-polls violence and over 400 people were made accused in cases. Forty two of them have got bail, the release said.
In many areas, however, the police seemed to be reluctant to tackle the violence which inspired incidents of violence.
‘A section of officials usually remain silent or take side with the ruling party for prize later on during the transitional period,’ said a senior police officer.
The inspector general of police at a news briefing on January 1 said that stern action would be taken against the police officials found to be reluctant for tackling any violence.
The police administration suspended the officer-in-charge of Kuliarchar police station, Hammad Hossain Chowdhury, the same day for neglecting the duty.
Courtesy: newagebd.com
