Police-BNP clash in city leaves hundred injured

Staff Reporter  :
BNP activists and police locked into a clash in the capital’s Science Lab area on Tuesday afternoon (May 23) leaving hundreds of the activists injured.

The incident occurred around 3:50 pm after BNP men brought out a procession. The incident caused severe traffic jam in Dhanmondi, Science Lab and New Market areas.
Meanwhile, BNP activists torched a BRTC bus and vandalised some other vehicles including police box at Dhanmondi Road No. 3 crossing.
At the time, police arrested the party’s executive committee member Sheikh Rabiul Alam and several other leaders and activists.

Ramna Zone Deputy Commissioner of Police (DC) Muhammad Ashraf Hossain confirmed the matter to the media and said that some boys attacked the police from the last row of the procession. They started throwing bricks and stones at the police. They even beat the police with banner sticks. The police also tried to retaliate.
Meanwhile, they tried to set fire to a BRTC passenger bus, but failed. They, however, broke the glasses of the bus. The DC said that several of our policemen were injured in the clash. Now we will take legal action. About 10/12 people have been arrested from the place of occurrence. Whether they are involved in the incident or not is being verified, the DC said.
In this regard, Dhaka South BNP convener Abdus Salam said, ”We had a peaceful march and we ended the rally at the Science Lab Intersection. The incident started when police chased our activists.” He also complained that hundreds of BNP activists have been injured in the attack. .

Earlier around 2 pm, BNP’s Dhaka South City unit started the road march in front of Bangladesh Medical College, Dhanmondi.
It was supposed to end in front of Kataban Mosque marching through Satmasjid Road, Rifles Square, Dhaka City College, Science Lab and Bata Signal, but foiled in front of Dhaka City College.

Meanwhile, a tense situation is prevailing in Rajshahi city centering the BNP’s pre-scheduled march.
Police have banned any kind of political rally and procession in the city to avoid any untoward incident.
Rajshahi Metropolitan Police (RMP) deployed a huge number of policemen fearing of deteriorating law and order situation. Law enforcing agencies are on high alert all over the city.
Police did not allow Rajshahi BNP to bring out their pre-scheduled march. From Tuesday morning, the law enforcement agencies remained on a high alert with strong position at all important points of the city including the BNP’s office.

Police also restricted the movement of vehicles and people on various streets.