Army man among 6 killed in Hathazari

Victims include madrasa student, 4 Hefajat activists; over 50 injured

Activists of Hefajat-e Islam block a road at Hathazari of Chittagong during a clash with law enforcers on Monday. At least four people were killed in the clash. Photo: STAR

At least six people including an army personnel were killed and 50 injured when activists of the Hefajat-e Islam clashed with police in Hathazari upazila of Chittagong on Monday.

Five policemen were among the injured while the deceased include four Hefajat activists and a madrasa student.

The deceased army man was identified as Sergeant Saidur Rahman, 35, son of Abdul Hakim of Alimpur in the upazila, Brig Gen Khandaker Shahidul Ghani told The Daily Star.

He succumbed to his head injuries — received in the clash — at Chittagong Medical College Hospital around 7:30pm, hospital sources said.

Of the bullet-hit victims, Abu Noman, Anwar Zahed, Mamun and Sazzad Hossain died on the spot while Jasim succumbed to his injuries at a local hospital, according to police and hospital sources.

Hefajat men locked in clashes with police in the morning.

The situation worsened around 3:30pm.

The law enforcers opened fire as the clash took a deadly turn, Liakat Ali, officer-in-charge of Hathazari Police Station told The Daily Star in the evening.

The bodies of Noman and Jasim were kept at Chittagong Medical College Hospital morgue.

Meanwhile, bodies of Zahed and Mamun and Sazzad were kept at Hathazari Adhunik Hospital, said Jamal Hossain, director of the hospital.

Sazzad was a madrasa student of the locality, he added.

Local Hefajat leader Md Atiqur Rahman claimed 12 of their activists were killed and over 200 received bullet injuries.

Source: The Daily Star