27 policemen among 100 hurt in 7 dists
BNP-Jamaat men are seen hurling brick chips on law enforcers in Rajshahi city during a clash that left 23 including three cops injured on Wednesday, on the final day of opposition combine-called 48-hour blockade.
At least five people were killed and 75 others including 27 policemen injured in blockade violence across the country today, on the final day of the opposition-combine called 48-hour blockade.
So far 12 people have been killed in the two days blockade of roads, rail and waterways that BNP-led opposition alliance called rejecting the schedule for 10th parliamentary election.
An auto-rickshaw driver was killed in Chittagong while an activist of Jamaat-e-Islami in Satkhira, a union-level leader of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal and a Jamaat man in Sirajganj, and a pro-Awami League union Parishad member were killed in Gazipur.
A passenger of a CNG-run auto-rickshaw sustained burn injuries when pro-blockade activists set fire to two vehicles in front of VIP Tower in Chittagong city.
Of the victims who were hurt, 20 opposition men including Rajshahi city Mayor Mosaddek Hossain Bulbul and three police men were injured in Rajshahi while 25 pro-blockade activists including seven law enforcers were wounded in Barisal. In port city of Chittagong, 15 people including seven members of Chittagong Metropolitan Police were injured while five law enforcers were injured in Manikganj. Twenty five more people were also injured in Sirajganj.
The pro-blockade activists also torched eight vehicles and vandalised 14 vehicles in Chittagong, Manikganj and Kurigram.
Law enforcers also detained 22 blockaders including an upazila-level leader of BNP in Chittagong, Barisal, Rajshahi and Kurigram.
SIRAJGANJ
A union level leader of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD), student wing of BNP, and an activist of Jamaat-e-Islami were killed as police after being attacked opened fire on them.
At least 25 more people were injured, three of them bullet-hit, in the clash that lasted around 30 minutes.
The deceased are Masum Billah, 25, organising secretary of Dhukuriabera union unit of JCD; and Md Abdul Jalil, 55, Jamaat activist, reports our correspondent quoting Abdul Hai, officer in-charge of Belkuchi Police Station.
The clash ensued as the BNP-led 18-party opposition men brought out a procession at Kallyanpur area in the upazila around 1:00pm.
As the procession reached Mukundagachi Bazar point, the activists of ruling Awami League and law enforcers resisted them, prompting the clash.
The opposition men hurled several crude bombs on the police and AL men, while police retaliated with bullets and teargas shells.
SATKHIRA
Jamaat activist Shamsur Rahman, 40, was killed when law enforcers after being attacked open fired on them around 2:30am.
The victim was a resident of Sheyaldanga village in the upazila, reports our correspondent.
The law enforcers came under attack at Abaderghatkhola area in the upazila when they went there for a raid, said Mohammad Nasir, inspector (investigation) of Sadar Police Station.
A team of Sadar police and the members of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) jointly went for the raid at Agardari Alia Madrasa—a hideout of Jamaat.
As soon as the Jamaat men sensed the presence of the law enforcers, they using the loudspeaker of a local mosque called the party men to come out of their houses to resist the police and BGB men, the inspector said.
Within few minutes, nearly 3,000 activists of Jamaat and its student wing, Islami Chhatra Shibir, gathered in front of the madrasa and exploded nearly 200 crude bombs and crackers, forcing the law enforcers to retreat.
When the law enforcers were returning in the face of resistance, the party men put barricades on Kadamtola-Bashdha road putting logs.
At one stage, the Jamaat-Shibir men attacked the law enforcers with sticks and also hurled a number of bombs, compelling the police and BGB men to fire, the police official added.
During the firing, the Jamaat man sustained bullet wounds and died on the spot, he added.
GAZIPUR
A pro-Awami League union parishad member was killed during a clash between AL and BNP men in Kaliganj upazila of Gazipur.
Deceased Kamal Uddin, 30, was a member of Jamalpur Union Parishad in the upazila, said Nazmul Islam Bhuiyan, officer-in-charge of Kaliganj Police Station.
The clash erupted when the activists of BNP and AL brought out pro and anti-blockade processions around 2:15pm and were crossing Chupairbazar area, reports our correspondent in Gazipur.
Two people including Kamal were injured badly during the clash, the police official said.
Kamal was rushed to Kaliganj Upazila Health Complex.
Masud Rana, duty doctor of the health complex, said Kamal was brought dead at the hospital.
CHITTAGONG
A battery-run auto-rickshaw driver was killed in Patia upazila of Chittagong as his vehicle fell into a roadside ditch after being chased by pro-blockade activists.
Ershad Ali, 22, came under at crossing area of the upazila around 1:15pm.
As he tried to speed away the attack, he lost control over the steering and fell into a roadside ditch.
He was rushed to Chittagong Medical College and Hospital (CMCH) where doctors declared him dead, reports our correspondent quoting Pankaj Barua, an assistant sub-inspector of CMCH Police Camp.
Md Abdul Alam, a passenger of a CNG-run auto-rickshaw, sustained 22 percent burn injuries when pro-blockade activists set fire to the vehicle in front of VIP Tower in the city.
Alam is now undergoing treatment at CMCH.
Meanwhile, BNP-Jamaat men torched five more vehicles including four motorbikes at City Gate and Chatteshwari areas in the port city.
The activists also vandalised three human haulers at Wasa Intersection, said Harun-or Rashid Hazari, deputy commissioner (North) of Chittagong Metropolitan Police.
Besides, fifteen people including seven policemen were injured during sporadic clashes stretching around five kilometre on Dhaka-Chittagong highway from AK Khan area to City Gate.
The clashes ensued around 9:30am when the pro-hartal activists vandalised eight goods-laden trucks at Nimtoli Bishwa Road area, said Saiful Islam, deputy commissioner of police in CMP.
During the five hour-long, police fired a number of rubber bullets and teargas canisters when the pro-blockade activists hurled brick chips and exploded a number of crude bombs.
Police picked up seven people with several homemade bombs from the spot, the official said.
Of the injured, Md Kamruzzaman, inspector of Detective Branch of police was admitted to CMCH while others were given primary aid from a local Red Crescent centre.
RAJSHAHI
Around 600 activists of BNP led 18-party alliance brought out a procession from near the Government Women College in the city around 7:30am.
Marching several roads, the processionists blocked a road near the Rajshahi Government College around 8:00am.
As they were demonstrating sitting on the road, law enforcers opened fire from an armoured personnel carrier to disperse the agitators.
Besides, another group of law enforcers fired around 100 rounds of rubber bullets and over 50 teargas shells as the blockade supporters launched crude bombs targeting law enforcers that left three of the policemen hurt, said Ziaur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Boalia Police Station.
One of the constables, Abdul Hamid, 30, went under the knife for his wounds in the chest at the Rajshahi Medical College Hospital (RMCH) while two others were admitted to the hospital.
Around 20 opposition men including the city Mayor Mosaddek Hossain Bulbul sustained rubber bullet injuries during the clash, said Abur Zafar Tutu, personal secretary to the mayor.
Mayor Bulbul was admitted to a city clinic, Tutu added.
Police detained 12 activists of BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing, Islami Chhatra Shibir from the spot, the OC added.
BARISAL
Police fired 121 rounds from their shot guns and 16 rounds of teargas canisters as opposition men tried to block a road at Kashipur bazaar in the city around 9:00am, said Raihan, deputy commissioner of Barisal Metropolitan Police (North).
The blockaders also hurled brick chips towards lawmen leaving seven cops including a sub-inspector of Airport Police Station injured, the police official added.
At least 15 activists of the opposition bloc sustained injuries in the clash.
Police held one activist of BNP from the spot.
KURIGRAM
The activists of BNP vandalised three motorbikes and billboards at Nageswari upazila around 12:00pm, said Abdur Rashid, officer-in-charge of the police station.
Police fired several rounds of teargas ganisters and gunshots to disperse the opposition men, reports our correspondent quoting the police official.
The law enforcers also picked up the upazila unit BNP President Ruhul Amin and its religious affairs secretary Abdur Razzak for their involvement with the vandalism.
COMILLA
Five policemen were injured as pro-blockade activists swooped on them in Elliotganj of Daudkandi upazila in Comilla.
During the one-hour clash, the activists blasted around 50-60 crude bombs while police retaliated by firing 138 rubber bullets, reports our correspondent quoting Abul Faisal, officer-in-charge of Daudkandi Police Station.
No one was detained in connection with the violence.
Source: The Daily Star
