Political violence returns: 1 killed, 500 injured in BNP, AL, police clashes across country

Staff Reporter :
A Juba Dal leader of the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) was killed and at least 500 injured as the BNP’s countrywide road march came under attack allegedly by the ruling Awami League activists and the police in Dhaka and elsewhere in the country.

The triangular clashes involving activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), Awami League (AL), BNP and police were erupted during BNP’s scheduled road march programme on Tuesday demanding theresignation of the government to pave the way for forming a nonpartisan caretaker administration to conduct the upcoming 12th parliamentary polls.
Incidents of sporadic violence were reported from Bogura, Khagrachari, Kishoreganj and Feni, including the capital city Dhaka.

Meanwhile, at least 27 school students fell sick after inhaling tear gas as the police fired tear gas cannisters to disperse BNP supporters during a clash in Bogura.
The ongoing lull in political confrontations – encouraged by the US visa restrictions on 24 May – came to a turbulent end as the clashes erupted between the BNP, the AL and police as supporters the ruling party and the main opposition swooped on each other in separate incidents.

The road march organised by the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) came under attack allegedly by the activists of the BCL, the student wing of the ruling Awami League, in front of Government Bangla College at Mirpur in the city around noon on Tuesday.

As the road march began from Gabtali and a group of people began hurling brickbats at the procession from inside Bangla College at about 12:00 noon, witnesses said.
They said activists belonging to both the parties vandalised the college gate and set fire to a motorcycle.
Braving the obstruction by the ruling party student wing BCL, the BNP’s road march, however, advanced forward.
The witnesses said that the last part of the road march came under attack again as the BCL activists threw brickbats from inside the college.
Meanwhile, police arrived on the spot and brought the situation under control.

As part of their one-point movement for resignation of the AL-led government, the BNP began the march towards Old Dhaka from Gabtoli Bus Station.
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir formally launched the procession started at Gabtoli at about 11:20am.
Similar programmes were held in all the metropolitan cities and district towns across the country.

This is the first programme of the opposition’s one-point movement with the goal to ‘remove Awami League from power’ and hold the upcoming national poll under a ‘neutral’ government.
Alongside the BNP, Ganatantra Mancha, 12-party alliance, Jatiyatabadi Samomona Jote, the Liberal Democratic Party, Gonoforum, People’s Party, Labour Party, Gono Odhikar Parishad, Gonotantrik Bam Oikya, Samomona Gonotantrik Peshajibi Jote and Shadharon Chhatra Odhikar Sangrakkhan Parishad are also scheduled to stage marches in the city’s different areas.
In Bogura: At least seven people suffered shotgun pellet wounds as police opened fire during a clash between law enforcers and BNP men who were participating in a road march in Bogura this afternoon, the party claimed.

At least 50 persons, including some police personnel, were injured during the clash between police and BNP men near the school. Police fired 20 to 30 tear gas cannisters to disperse the BNP men.
At least 27 students fell ill after inhaling the tear gas that police fired to disperse BNP supporters during a clash in Bogura on Tuesday afternoon.
The victims, students of the Yakubia Girls High School, were rushed to Mohammad Ali District Hospital.
The incident took place around 12:30pm when the BNP men, bringing out a procession from Banani, reached the Yakubia School area, witnesses said.
Shafique Amin Kazal, a resident physician of the hospital, confirmed it to local reporters.

Some of the students were given oxygen support. Some of them fell ill after they became panicked due to the smoke. They will recover soon, he said.
The police fired multiple tear shells and rubber bullets during the clash at Yakubia Girls High School intersection in the city at around 12:00pm.
Additional Superintendent of Police Abdur Rashid said, “We were stationed at the intersection for security. They suddenly attacked the police. At least six of our members were injured. Later, a few tear shells and rubber bullets had to be fired to bring the situation under control.”

Meanwhile, BNP’s district Chhatra Dal General Secretary Noore Alam Siddiqui Regan said at least 30 BNP leaders were injured in the clash.
As part of BNP’s countrywide programme, the party’s Bogura district unit began the march at 10:00pm.
In Lakshmipur: A 22-year-old Juba Dal leader, Md Sajib, was killed and over 50 injured as the BNP road march in the district town came under attack by the police and the activists of the AL in front of Diabetic Hospital in the district town on Lakshmipur-Ramgati Road at about 5:30pm.

The district BNP joint-convener Hasibur Rahman said that police and AL activists attacked and opened fire on their peaceful road march.
Lakshmipur superintendent of police Mahabuzzaman Ashraf claimed that the BNP brought out a procession in a bid to commit destructive activities for which they had to open fire to bring the situation under control.
He claimed that 10 cops were injured in BNP activists’ attack.
In Joypurhat: At least 37 leaders and activists of both from Awami League and BNP including the police were injured centering BNP’s road march in the district.
AL activists attacked on BNP’s peaceful rally in the railway gate area of the city, eyewitnesses said.

According to eyewitnesses, clash broke out when Awami League leaders and activists hurled brickbats at BNP leaders and activists by taking a position at the railway gate area. At least 37 people from BNP and Awami League were injured in the clash. At one stage of the conflict, the angry activists of Awami League vandalized the district office of BNP. At that time, the police fired 11 rounds of blank bullets and brought the situation under control.

District Awami League General Secretary Zakir Hossain claimed that the BNP activists attacked the peaceful procession of Awami League and eight people including BCL president Raja were injured.
District BNP convener Golzar Hossain said, Awami League attacked their peaceful road march without any provocation and injured their 25 leaders and workers.
In Khagrachhari: Over 100 people were injured as activists of the ruling Awami League and the main opposition BNP locked in clashes in Khagrachhari on Tuesday morning.
The clash broke out at Shapla Chattar area in the district town at about 10:30am when local BNP leaders and activists were bringing out their road march as part of the party’s central program.
AL’s local unit had also planned a procession around the same time.

The two groups locked in clashes and chased each other for over an hour in the Shapla Chattar and nearby areas, locals said.
Some 25-30 AL activists including district Awami League Deputy Secretary Nurul Azam, Md Almas, Kyajri Marma and some 20-25 BNP activists including district BNP’s coordinator secretary Md Hossain Babu were injured.
Police brought the situation under control by using tear shells. Additional police have been deployed in the area.
Local AL and BNP leaders have blamed each other for initiating the clash.

Khagrachhari AL General Secretary Nirmalendu Chowdhury said, ‘The BNP cadres attacked us with sticks when we were on the way to take part in the ‘development procession’. They vandalised numerous commercial buildings, including the municipality building of Khagrachhari.’
Khagrachhari BNP General Secretary MN Absar said, ‘More than 50 leaders and activists were hurt as Awami League activists attacked us when we attempted to march in accordance with the central program.’

Some of the injured were taken to the Khagrachhari Sadar Hospital.
In Kishoreganj: At least 100 activists of BNP were injured during a clash between police and the party activists. The clash took place in Rothkhola area as the BNP began its peaceful road march.
BNP leaders claimed that police attacked the marchers without any provocation and fired tear shells and rubber bullets at them.
As a result, many leaders suffered with bullet injuries and admitted to different hospitals and clinics.
The bullet injured leaders and activists are- District Juba Dal Organizing Secretary Tarikuzzaman Parnell, District Juba Dal General Secretary Abdullah Al Masud Sumon, Joint General Secretary Syed Ali Mostafa Tajbir, Rural and Cooperative Affairs Secretary Shahriar Musa Tanha, Nikli Upazila Juba Dal convener Abdul Mannan, Hossainpur Upazila Swechhasebok Dal convener and member secretary Shaukat Hossain.

District BNP General Secretary Mazharul Islam claimed that the police attacked their march without provocation. They said that at least 100 leaders and activists were injured in the police attack.
Meanwhile, Kishoreganj Additional Superintendent of Police (Finance and Administration) Mostaque Sarkar said that BNP’s pre-scheduled program was from Gurudayal Government College ground to Rathkhola Maidan. When BNP men wanted to cross the open ground from Rathkhola then police stopped them.
BNP activists threw bricks at the police and later, the police took countermeasures, he said.
In Feni: More than 200 activists of BNP were injured in the clash between police and BNP men. Alal Uddin Alal, member secretary of Feni district BNP, said that miscreants suddenly threw bricks at them after going to Islampur area with the road march.

Clashes broke out between the police and activists of BNP over the road march in Feni.
Superintendent of Police Zakir Hasan said that the BNP activists deliberately threw cocktails and bricks at the police. The police opened blank fire and tear shells for security, he added.
In Pirojpur: Leaders and activists of BNP clashed with police during the party’s march in Pirojpur.
District BNP convener Alamgir Hossain said 10-12 activists of BNP and its affiliates were injured after police charged batons.
On the other hand, Pirojpur Sadar Police Station OC Abir Mohammad Hasan said seven policemen were injured during the clash. They were admitted to Pirojpur District Hospital.
The incident took place on the road in front of the local fire service and civil defence office around 12 pm today. Police have arrested six people in connection with the clash.
Leaders of BNP said that police obstructed their road march in Noakhali and Manikganj districts.

On July 12, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir formally announced the ‘one-point’ movement.
As part of the first programme to realise the one-point demand, he also announced a two-day countrywide march programme for July 18 and 19.
BNP will also march on July 19 from Uttara’s Abdullahpur to Jatrabari – from 10:00am to 4:00pm- in the capital. The other opposition parties and alliances will also observe the programme in the capital the same day.

The opposition’s one-point demand includes the resignation of the current Awami League government, dissolution of the existing parliament, formation of a polls-time ‘impartial’ government and reconstitution of the Election Commission for arranging a free, fair and inclusive election, the release of all ‘political prisoners’, including BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, withdrawal of all ‘false’ cases, including those against Tarique Rahman, and annulment of all ‘false convictions’.
In the capital, the march ended at Roy Saheb Bazar intersection at about 4:00pm.