6 Gonojagoron activists held, several hurt in cops’ action

6 Gonojagoron activists held, several hurt in cops’ action

Law enforcers physically assault the youths of Gonojagoron Mancha while driving them off the road at Gulshan-2 in the capital today. Several activists were injured as police charged batons on the protesters on their way to lay siege to the Pakistan High Commission demanding suspension of diplomatic ties with Pakistan. Photo: Rashed Shumon

Several activists of Gonojagoron Mancha were injured when the law enforcers charged batons on the youths on their way to lay siege to the Pakistan High Commission in the capital’s Gulshan area, demanding suspension of diplomatic ties with Pakistan.
The law enforcers also rounded up six activists of the mancha, known for spearheading a youth movement for trying suspected war criminals, from the spot.
Denouncing the police action, Imran H Sarker, spokesperson of the manch, said police unlawfully swooped on our peaceful demonstration.
Several Gonojagoron Mancha activists were detained from the spot, said Shahabuddin, additional deputy commissioner of Gulshan zone.
The incident occurred around 3:00pm when around 100 activists took position near the high commission after a 20-hour ultimatum to the government to suspend diplomatic ties with Pakistan ended.
The youths gave the ultimatum in the wake of Pakistan parliament’s NA resolution deploring the execution of war criminal Jamaat-e-Islami leader Abdul Quader Mollah.
Police, who kept the activists cordoned off from the very beginning of their march, locked in a scuffle with the youths.
At one stage around 3:30pm, the law enforcers charged batons on the youths to disperse them when they were staging a sit-in near Pakistan HC.
Gonojagoron Mancha will stage protest processions and rallies across the country tomorrow protesting police action on its activists during a programme this afternoon.
As part of the demonstrations, it will hold a protest rally at Shahbagh at 3:00pm Friday protesting the police attack on its Gulshan rally.
Maruf Rasul, one of the organisers, announced the fresh programme at a pres briefing at the United Hospital this afternoon.
He claimed around 100 of their activists were injured in the police attack while law enforcers picked up 20 others from the spot.
Maruf said eight of the injured including Imran H Sarker, convenor of the Gonojagoron Mancha, were admitted to the United Hospital.
He claimed the condition of two of the injured were critical.

Source: The Daily Star