Five people including a municipality-level Jubo League leader and a Jubo Dal activist were killed and at least 45 injured in different districts of the country on the first day of the opposition combine-sponsored 60-hour hartal today.
The killings have been reported from Faridpur, Jessore, Pabna, Pirojpur and Bogra districts.
Jubo Dal activist Maruf Hossain, 20, was killed as police being attacked by the activists of Jubo Dal, youth wing of BNP, opened fire in Nagarkanda upazila of Faridpur while Shimul, a Jubo League leader of Abhaynagar upazila of Jessore, was stabbed to death by pickets.
The third death was reported from Pabna as the activists of ruling Awami League allegedly opened fire on BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami men in Ishwardi upazila. Zulhash Hossain died in the firing.
The fourth killing came as the activists of Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir, cut the tendons of Swapan Shill’s limbs in Zianagar upazila of Pirojpur, village home of war crimes convict Delawar Hossain Sayedee, two hours ahead of hartal.
Shahjahan Ali, a BNP activist, was killed in an intra-party clash over bringing out a pro-hartal procession in Gabtoli upazila of Bogra around 1:30pm.
The incidents of violence like clashes, arson, vandalism and homemade bomb blasts were also reported from Satkhira, Rajshahi, Gazipur, Chittagong and Natore.
The pro-hartal activists also set fire to an Awami League office in Gazipur this morning.
They also set three vehicles on fire and vandalised six others in different districts.
At least four police personnel were injured in a clash with hartal supporters in Satkhira.
Two journalists including the Pirojpur correspondent of The Daily Star were also injured when the activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League, student wing of ruling Awami League, attacked them.
The BNP-led 18-party opposition combine called the hartal (shutdown) from 6:00am today demanding formation of an all-party polls-time government.
FARIDPUR
Maruf, a son of Rabu Sheikh at Minargram, was killed and 10 were injured as police after being attacked opened fire on them in Nagarkanda upazila, reports our Faridpur correspondent.
The law enforcers came under attack around 7:00am when they were trying to bring situation under control as the pro-hartal activists were celebrating their violence in Chhagaldi area of the upazila, locals and witnesses said.
The pickets unlashed violence in Chhagaldi and its adjacent areas vandalising three buses and putting barricades at different points on local roads setting fire to types, the sources added.
On information, police went to the area and tried to maintain law and order, but the Jubo Dal activists chased them.
The law enforcers also chased the activists, triggering a clash as the pickets retaliated hurling brick chips.
At one stage, police in a bid to self-resistance opened fire, leaving one dead and 10 injured.
Md Kamruzzaman, assistant superintendent of police in Faridpur (Sadar circle), confirmed the killing.
JESSORE
Shimul, Jubo League general secretary of Noapara municipality unit in the upazila, was stabbed to death by pickets, reports our Jessore correspondent.
Witnesses said pro-hartal activists vandalised and set fire to a microbus carrying Shimul and four other party men at Noapara municipality area in Abhaynagar upazila around 8:30am.
When Shimul and his four associate got down from the vehicle and tried to escape, the hartal supporters stabbed the five Jubo League men, witnesses said.
Shimul ran and took shelter to a highway police box in the area.
But the hartal supporters stabbed Shimul repeatedly inside the police box, leaving Shimul dead on the spot, the witnesses said.
There was no policeman in box, they said.
Confirmed the death, Abdus T Salique, officer-in-charge of Abhaynagar Police Station, said Shimul was accused in a number of cases.
PABNA
A Jamaat man, Zulhash, was killed and five were hit by bullets when AL activists allegedly opened fire on BNP and Jamaat men in Muladuli area of Ishwardi upazila.
Two of the injured were rushed to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital, said Mirazuddin Ahmed, superintendent of police in Pabna.
Abu Taleb Mondol, secretary of Jamaat Pabna district unit, however claimed that both the group exchanged fire during the incident
Zulhash came in the line of fire and died on the spot, the Jamaat leader said.
Meanwhile, three crude bombs were hurled from a procession on Abdul Hamid Road in Pabna town around 11:45am.
PIROJPUR
Jamaat-Shibir men cut the tendons of Swapan Shill’s limbs at Balipara union in Zianagar upazila two and a half hours before the hartal began.
Shill was first rushed to Morelganj Upazila Health Complex. He was shifted to Khulna Medical College Hospital (KMCH) as his condition deteriorated where doctors declared him dead.
Meanwhile, Jamaat-Shibir men cut the tendons of Bappi, an activist of Bangladesh Chattra League, at the same union around 4:00am, who was then whisked off to KMCH in critical condition.
More than 1,000 Jamaat-Shibir activists have taken position in the union with indigenous weapons and driven law enforcers as well as AL activists out of the area.
They put up barricades on the Pirojpur-Zianagar road by felling over 1,000 trees and digging trenches on the road.
They also vandalised several shops owned by AL men in Bajar area of the union.
Besides, BCL men assaulted two journalists including the Pirojpur correspondent of The Daily Star.
BOGRA
BNP man Shahjahan, 24, of Chakdour village was killed and five were injured when supporters of Zahidur Rahman Helal, chairman of Gabtoli upazila, and Morshed Milton, Gabtoli municipality mayor, clashed with sharp weapons over leading a pro-hartal procession at Tinmatha, said Gaziur Rahman, additional superintendent of police in Bogra.
Zahidur is the joint secretary of the district unit of the BNP while Morshed is the secretary of the party’s upazila unit, reports our Bogra correspondent.
During the clash, Shahjahan sustained severe injuries. He was rushed to Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital where duty doctors declared him dead.
Five injured were also admitted to the hospital.
In another clash between pro-hartal activists and AL men at least five people were injured in Dhunat upazila of the district around 10:00am.
Police fired eight rubber bullets to disperse the agitating activists, said Gaziur Rahman, assistant superintendent of police (Sadar and Media) of Bogra.
Three platoons of BGB have been deployed in the area to avoid further untoward incident, the ASP said.
Earlier in the morning, the hartal supporters blasted two cocktails in Khandar area and in front of Azizul Haque College in the town.
None was hurt in the incident.
GAZIPUR
The hartal supporters set fire to the AL office of Bormy union unit in Sreepur upazila just after the hartal began at 6:00am.
Alamgir Hossain Morol, AL secretary of the union unit, blamed BNP and Jamaat men for the incident.
Around 7:00am, the 18-party alliance led by Gazipur City Corporation Mayor MA Mannan brought out a procession from Chandana intersection in Sadar upazila.
The opposition men hurled two cocktails from the end of the procession targeting police.
One of the cocktails exploded at the scene while the other cocktail remained unexploded.
In retaliation, police fired rubber bullets and teargas canister to bring the situation under control, said Md Jahid Hossain, OC of Joydevpur Police Station,
None was reported hurt, he added.
A chase and counter-chase took place between police and pickets in front of Shafiuddin Sarkar Academy School and College in Tongi around 7:00am. Law enforcers fired bullets in the air to disperse the activists.
SATKHIRA
At least 10 people including four police personnel were injured in two separate clashes between police and BNP, Jamaat and Shibir activists in Ashashuni and Tala upazilas of the district.
The 18-party combine brought out a procession at Boaldanga in Ashashuni around 9:00am.
They processionists hurled brick chips on the law enforcers, leaving a sub-inspector, two assistant sub-inspectors and a constable injured.
Later, police fired rubber bullets and dispersed the activists.
Meanwhile, opposition men blocked Tala-Kumuria road at Islamkathi in Tala upazila felling trees in the morning.
When policemen tried to remove the trees, the activists attacked them, forcing them to fire robber bullets.
Five Jamaat-Shibir men sustained rubber bullets during the incident, police said.
RAJSHAHI
Police detained two pickets after they set fire to a motorcycle at Bornali intersection in the city around 6:30am.
JCD activists tried to bring out a procession from Sadar Hospital intersection but police fired 15 to 20 shots in the air and lobbed teargas shell to disperse them.
The leaders and activists of the BNP-led 18-party alliance also brought out a peaceful procession from Doikharbona to Malopara in the city at 6:30am.
CHITTAGONG
Pro-hartal activists torched a covered van and a bus at Chhoto Kumira in Sitakundu upazila around 7:00am.
The 18-party activists blocked the Dhaka-Chittagong highway and were chanting slogan in support of their hartal till 10:30am when the report was filed.
NATORE
Pickets vandalised six trucks in front of Harishpur Police lines in the town and also set fire to a truck at Ahammedpur in Boraigram upazila.
The hartal supporters exploded around 50 cocktails at different parts of the district Saturday night creating panic among the people.
BOGRA
At least five people were injured as pro-hartal activists clashed with AL men in Dhunat upazila around 10:00am.
Police fired eight rubber bullets to disperse the agitating activists, said Gaziur Rahman, assistant superintendent of police (Sadar and Media) of Bogra.
Three platoons of BGB have been deployed in the area to avoid further untoward incident, the ASP said.
Earlier in the morning, the hartal supporters blasted two cocktails in Khandar area and in front of Azizul Haque College in the town.
None was hurt in the incident.
Source: The Daily Star