DHAKA, CHITTAGONG CITY POLLS Khelada’s convoy attacked again

A policeman tries to stop a man carrying a firearm in his waist as Bangladesh Chhatra League leaders and activists attacked the motorcade of Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson Khaleda Zia when she was in an election campaign at Bangla Motors in Dhaka on Wednesday. — Ali Hossain Mintu

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson, Khaleda Zia, also former prime minister, narrowly escaped another attack, but three of her security staff were injured on Wednesday as ruling party Awami League men continued attacks on her convoy in the city.
Awami League men equipped with firearms, sticks and iron rods smashed rear windshields and windowpanes of Khaleda’s sport utility vehicle when Khaleda and four others were onboard. Four other vehicles including two of her security team were also vandalised during the attack, witnesses said.
BNP chief’s media wing official Syrul Kabir Khan said that the attackers also shot at Khaleda’s car.
The BNP, immediately after the attack, at a briefing at the party central office accused pro-government men of attempting on Khaleda’s life in a planned way.
Some of the attackers pulled down retired Lieutenant Colonel Shamiul, a member of Khaleda’s personal security force, from a vehicle of security team and beat him up with stick on the street. He was rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital and later shifted to United Hospital. Former inspector general of police Abdul Qaiyyum, also BNP chief’s adviser, was also injured in the attack, witnesses said.
Two attackers were injured after being hit by the vehicles that were trying speed away.
Wednesday’s attack was the third consecutive attack in the past three days on her motorcade by Awami League men while she was campaigning for city polls scheduled for April 28.

From left, leaders and activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League attack the motorcade of Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson Khaleda Zia while the BCL men beat up a security official of the BNP chairperson at Bangla Motors when the former prime minister was conducting an election campaign in favour of the party-backed mayoral candidate in Dhaka South City Corporation poll Mirza Abbas on Wednesday. — New Age photo

Witnesses said, a group of 60-70 activists of Awami League-backed student organisation Bangladesh Chhatra League marched from Shahbagh and took position at Banglamotor about half an hour before the attack.
The attackers, led by Chhatra League leaders Moshiur Rahman Rubel and Mamum Ahmed, chanted slogans ‘Joy Bangla, Joy Bangabandhu’ and swooped on Khaleda’s convoy at about 5:20pm, when the motorcade got stuck in traffic congestion.
Television footage showed some of the Chhatra League men were carrying firearms.
At one stage, Khaleda’s car hurriedly left the scene towards Nayapaltan central office. She held a meeting with senior leaders and left for her house at about 9:30pm without conducting electioneering.
Earlier on Monday, in a similar incident, five vehicles of Khaleda’s motorcade were damaged while she was campaigning for Dhaka north city mayoral candidate Tabith Awal at Karwanbazar. Another group of ruling party men attacked Khaleda’s convoy with stones while she was campaigning for Dhaka south city mayoral candidate Mirza Abbas on Tuesday evening.
The BNP enforced a nationwide general strike on Wednesday protesting against the attack on Khaleda. Dhaka and Chittagong cities were out of the purview of the strike because of city polls.
The prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, after the Monday attack, accused Khaleda of ‘staging an unnecessary drama’ over the incident that added to the tensions ahead of city polls.

Source: New Age