At least eight persons, including three police officials, were injured in a clash between BNP men and police in Chattogram’s Jamal Khan area today.
After the incident, 40 BNP leaders and activists were detained on charges of attacking on-duty police, said police officials, reports our Chattogram staff correspondent.
The incident took place in front of Chattogram Press Club around 3:00 pm during a human chain programme of BNP.
“BNP organised a human chain programme in front of the press club where senior BNP leaders were present. At one point, BNP workers sat on the road halting vehicular movement,” said Jasim Uddin, deputy commissioner (South Zone) of Chattogram Metropolitan Police.
“When police forced the BNP men to get off the street, they started throwing brickbats targeting police and that injured Additional DC Aminul Islam and two other police officials,” said the DC.
However, BNP Chattogram city unit President Dr Shahadat Hossain told The Daily Star, “During the human chain, a section of police officials deliberately hit the BNP men who sat on the road to listen to the programme resulting the untoward incident.”
“We tried to quell the tension,” said the BNP leader.
“Police permitted BNP city unit, north and south district BNP to hold programmes in one place and that’s why the whole area was jam-packed,” added the BNP leader.
“It’s the police who are responsible for the incident,” he said.
Assistant Commissioner of Kotwali Zone Muzahidul Islam said police detained around 40 BNP leaders along with two buses from Kazir Dewri and Jamal Khan areas in connection with the incident.
