Police-AL-BNP clashes leave 150 injured in three dists

Staff Reporter :
Around 150 people including policemen were injured in clashes between Awami League and BNP men in Netrakona, Magura and Patuakhali districts on Friday.

Three BNP activists received injuries and agitated people vandalised a police car and motorcycles in Magura.

The incident took place in Kalmakanda Upazila of Netrakona when BNP and Awami League leaders-activists chased each other in phases.

Around 50 people were injured on both sides. Apart from it, four policemen were also injured while bringing the situation under control.

Later the police fired blank shots and brought the situation under control.

This clash took place in Dhanmahal area of Upazila Sadar and Markus Mosque area of Paschim Bazar from 2pm to 4pm.

According to eyewitnesses, police and party leaders, on the occasion of BNP’s 45th founding anniversarythe leaders and activists of party and its affiliates started gathering in front of the party office in Upazila Sadar’s Dhanmahal area from 8 Union of Kalmakanda.

Around two o’clock in the afternoon, the leaders and activists of Awami League and other organizations took out a protest rally.

At one stage, Awami League leaders prevented BNP leaders and activists from performing the ceremony after the procession, which led to chase and counter chase between the two parties.

General Secretary of Kalmakanda Upazila Awami League Islam Uddin said, Awami League did not obstruct the program of BNP; instead BNP involved among themselves in internal conflict and attacked Awami League with local weapons.

He also claimed that their 30 AL leaders and activists were injured.

“We were observing our founding anniversary very peacefully.

But police and Awami League men attacked on our leaders and activists in front of our party office. At least 20 leaders and activists of BNP are injured,” Upazila BNP convener MA Khaiyer said.

In Patuakhali, At least 13 individuals were injured in a clash between Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and police in Dashmina upazila of Patuakhali.

The clash erupted at 12:30pm on Friday in Pujakhola area of the Sadar union, reports the media.

Dashmina unit BNP General Secretary Shah Alam Shanu said their peaceful march, organized to commemorate BNP’s 45th founding anniversary, was stopped by the police when it reached the Dashmina court.

“This led to escalated tensions and the BNP members moving forward, at which point the police reportedly attacked and carried out a baton charge,” he said.

Several BNP activists including Ibrahim, Sayad Roni, and Abu Taher, among others, were injured and subsequently hospitalized, he added.

Patuakhali Assistant Superintendent of Police Md Morshed Toha said BNP members blocked the road, disrupting communication.

“They threw brickbats at the police, injuring officers like Nazmul, Jakir, and Sikatur.

The police responded with baton charge and detained two BNP members,” he said.

“A police investigation into the incident is ongoing,” he added.

Former joint general secretary of upazila BNP Howladar Md Ifzias Uddin Joy criticized the police’s aggression saying that they had obtained permission for their procession.

In Magura: At least six people including policemen were injured in a fierce clash between police, BNP and Awami League leaders and activists in Mohammadpur upazila of Magura.

The incident took place in front of the Upazila BNP office in Mohammadpur Bazar around 4:30 pm on Friday.

Three policemen were also injured and three BNP workers were reportedly bullet injured in the clash.

At that time, it was alleged that BNP leaders and activists vandalized a police car and two motorcycles.

District BNP joint convener Mithun Roy Chowdhury said that leaders and activists were gathering in front of the upazila BNP office to mark the party’s 45th founding anniversary.

Police arrested some of their leaders and activists and stopped the procession, he said adding that at some point, tension builds between the two sides.

At one stage, police resorted to baton charge and fired tear gas shells at the leaders and activists of BNP.

At the same time, when a group of Awami League came to the spot, a counter chase started and Awami League leaders and activists vandalized the police car from behind, Mithun Roy Chowdhury said.

The BNP leaders claimed that at least 50 leaders and activists were injured in the attack by the police and the ruling party workers on the spot.

Among them Mohammadpur Sadar Union Chhatra Dal President Ratan Mandal, Chhatra Dal leader Nabidul Islam, Mohammadpur Sadar Union Swechasebak Dal joint convener Tariq Shikder received bullet injuries.

However, Mohammedpur Upazila Swechasebak League convener Sujan Shikder denied the BNP’s allegations.

He said that Awami League leaders and activists were not at the scene.