BNP-led alliance enforces hartal in Chapainawabganj, Sirajganj today
More than 1,000 leaders and activists of BNP, its key ally Jamaat-e-Islami and the latter’s student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir have been sued in the last two days over clashes in Chapainawabganj and Sirajganj on Friday.
BNP-led 18-party alliance will enforce hartal in Chapainawabganj and Sirajganj today for 12 and six hours respectively protesting the deaths of its activists in the clashes.
At least five people were killed and 50 including eight cops injured in clashes between the opposition activists and law enforcers over arresting Jamaat men accused of vandalism.
In Chapainawabganj, police filed two cases with Shibganj Police Station against 513 Jamaat-Shibir men on charges of attacking law enforcers, obstructing them from doing their duties and damaging public property.
The cases were lodged under the Special Powers Act, 1974 and explosives act, reports our Chapainawabganj correspondent quoting Shibganj police.
Yesterday, the district administration imposed section 144 in Poura Park in Chapainawabganj town, Shibganj municipality and Kansat Bazar to avoid any possible clashes.
The opposition alliance, said police, planned a gayebana janaza and demonstration at the park in the afternoon.
Later, the Awami League-led 14-party alliance called a public meeting at the same time and venue, prompting the authorities to impose the restriction from 2:00pm to 12:00 midnight.
Shahjahan Mia, president of district unit BNP, said following the restriction, they held the gayebana janaza on the premises of Fulkuri School.
The clash at Shibganj ensued on Friday when a police team went to Gopalnagar village around 3:00am to arrest Jamaat activists in connection with torching of Kansat Palli Bidyut substation on February 28. Two people were killed and at least 20 injured in the clash.
Meanwhile, police in Sirajganj filed a case against 29 named and 500 unnamed BNP and Jamaat activists over Friday’s clash in Belkuchi that left two people killed and 30 injured.
Sub-inspector Habibur Rahman filed the case with the Belkuchi Police Station on Friday night, reports our Pabna correspondent.
Talking to The Daily Star, district BNP Secretary General Mokaddes Ali said they called the shutdown for today protesting the killing of their activists.
The clash began when Belkuchi police rounded up Jamaat leader Habibur Rahman at Modhupur village around 9:00am in connection with torching the office of Belkuchi Upazila Awami League on March 3.
Source: The Daily Star
BANGLA MEDIA WAR:
PRO GOVERNMENT MEDIA NEWS CAPTION:
“THE BOMB OF ISLAMIC STUDENTS BLEW OFF THE WRIST OF THE POLICE”
INDEPENDENT MEDIA NEWS:
Non-partisan police officer, on condition of anonymity said to the media that untrained police while going to take the pin off from the cocktail suffered the wound in his hand. The pin was very tight and he tried to pull it off before throwing to the crowd by force using his both hand when the cocktail exploded in his hand.
Another police officer said, ” HE DID TO PULL THE PIN OFF holding it straight BUT BEND IT AND THEREFORE WAS NOT ABLE TO PUT IT OFF. HE FORCED IT AND AS A RESULT EXPLODED INTO HIS OWN HANDS.