Staff Reporter:
At least 20 protesters identifying themselves as “July Warriors” were injured in clashes with police in the Parliament area in Dhaka on Friday, hours before the scheduled signing of the July Charter at the South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad.
Violence also spread outside Dhaka as demonstrators blocked the Dhaka-Chattogram Highway in Feni in protest against the police action.
The injured were taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital where they received treatment. Hospital police said the number of injured may rise as more victims continued to arrive after 2:00 pm.
Those injured include Cynthia Mim, Shafikul Islam, Shafiullah, Habib Ullah, Tanvirul Islam, Saiful Islam, Atikul Gazi, Rakib and Laili.
Atikul Gazi, one of the injured, said he came from Uttara to attend the July Charter ceremony at Manik Mia Avenue. He said police charged batons to disperse them without warning.
He described how he had earlier lost his right hand after being shot during the July uprising and had received a prosthetic hand from BRAC.
He alleged that police struck him again in the same place during Friday’s clash, breaking his artificial hand. He accused the interim government of ordering police to attack the July Warriors.
The clash began shortly after 1:00 pm when police tried to remove protesters who were gathered under the banner of July Martyrs’ Families and Wounded Fighters near the South Plaza.
The protesters said the July Charter was not enough and demanded rehabilitation and state recognition for those injured during the July uprising.
They had been demonstrating outside the Parliament complex since Thursday night and had taken position in front of the stage for the signing ceremony early Friday morning.
Witnesses said protesters retaliated by throwing bricks and stones at police who responded with baton charges, tear gas and sound grenades.
Several vehicles, including police cars, and were vandalized and fires were set in the streets during the confrontation. Police fired tear-shells and sound grenade to disperse, leaving 20 injured. By around 2:00 pm, police regained full control of the Parliament area and restricted movement on nearby roads including Manik Mia Avenue and Khamarbari.
Security was tightened and law enforcers carried out searches in surrounding areas and movement was restricted.
Dhaka Medical College Hospital police camp in-charge Md Faruk said the injured were being treated at the emergency department and none of them were in critical condition.
The July Charter signing ceremony was scheduled for 4:00 pm with political leaders expected to attend, although the NCP announced it would not participate. Additional police and army personnel were deployed to maintain order.
Protests also took place in Farmgate where another group of demonstrators demanded implementation of the July Protection Act and rehabilitation for those injured during the uprising.
Around 4:00 pm more than a dozen protesters gathered at the Khamarbari intersection carrying placards and chanting slogans. Mosad Uddin, a teacher at Banasree Bidyaniketan School, said signing the July Charter without enforcing the protection law would be a betrayal of the movement. He said their demands had already been submitted to different ministries.
Earlier in the day police baton charged students and activists near the Parliament area. Soheli Tamanna, a student of Mirpur Law College, said her hand was broken during the police action even though she was protesting peacefully.
Another protester, Aminul Islam Imon, said those injured in the movement were being betrayed by the government that came to power because of their struggle.
Protest anger later spread outside Dhaka. In Feni, protesters blocked the Dhaka-Chattogram Highway at the Mohipal flyover area for more than half an hour starting around 2:45 pm.
They were demonstrating against the police attack on July Warriors at Manik Mia Avenue and demanding state recognition for those injured in the uprising.
The blockade caused long traffic congestion on both sides of the highway. Protesters chanted slogans accusing the interim government of failing to keep promises and demanded justice and recognition.
Nazim Uddin, one of the protesters in Feni, said the government came to power on the blood of the July Warriors but still refused to recognize them.
He said they would not leave the streets until they received legal recognition and financial support.
Feni Model Police Station Inspector Sajol Kanti Dash said police rushed to the spot and the protesters later moved away from the highway, allowing traffic to return to normal.
The demonstrations reflect growing frustration among July uprising participants who say the July Charter fails to guarantee their security, treatment, compensation or state recognition.
