55 hurt as opposition enforces countrywide blockade
Police fire teargas canisters to disperse Shibir activists who attacked them at Binodpur near Rajshahi University area Tuesday morning. Photo: Star
At least five people including a local Jubo League leader were killed as opposition activists clashed with law enforcers and ruling party men in different districts today.
Two leaders of Jubo League and Swechhasebok League were killed in Satkhira while a Jubo Dal man in Bogra, a pedestrian in Sirajganj and a rickshaw-puller in Comilla died in clashes on the first day of the BNP-led 18-party opposition alliance’ countrywide 48-hour road, rail and waterway blockade.
At least 55 people were reported injured as violence marked the start of the blockade programme designed to protest the announcement of the schedule for the 10th parliamentary election without installing a non-party government.
In another development, the Rajshahi city unit of BNP has called a six-hour hartal (shutdown) in the city for tomorrow following a clash between the party activists and police today.
The incidents of vandalism and arson were also reported from Gazipur, Dinajpur, Rajshahi, Joypurhat and Patuakhali.
The demonstrators vandalised at least 16 vehicles and torched two vehicles in Dinajpur and Gazipur.
SATKHIRA
A union-level leader of Jubo League, youth front of ruling Awami League, was beaten to death by the activists of BNP and its key ally Jamaat-e-Islami in Kolaroa upazila of Satkhira today.
Hailing from Selimpur village in the upazila, Mahmudul Hasan, 30, was general secretary of Diara union of Jubo League.
Describing the incident, Mohammad Shahdara Khan, officer-in-charge of Kolaroa Police Station, told The Daily Star that at least 20 BNP-Jamaat men blocked Kolaroa-Khordo road at Alaipur since morning to mark the blockade.
When Hasan was passing through the area with a motorcycle around 11:00am, the activists swooped on him with sticks and iron rods, the OC said quoting the victim’s younger brother Amanullah Aman.
Hasan was rushed to Kolaroa Upazila Health Complex from where he was shifted to Satkhira Sadar Hospital as his condition deteriorated.
The Jubo league leader succumbed to his injuries around 12:30pm, said Robiul Islam, a doctor at the emergency unit of the Sadar hospital.
BOGRA
A Jubo Dal activist was killed as police opened fire during a clash with opposition activists at Banani near Bogra town this afternoon.
COMILLA
Rickshaw-puller Babul Mia was killed and 26 were injured in a clash in Laksham upazila headquarters, said Abul Khayer, officer-in-charge of Laksham Police Station.
The clash erupted around 11:00am when nearly 100 activists of BNP, Jamaat and Islami Chhatra Shibir, student wing of Jamaat, were trying to block Comilla-Noakhali road and police resisted them.
Facing police bar, the opposition men hurled brick chips on the law enforcers.
During the one-hour clash, the party men also fired several rounds of bullets, prompting the law enforcers to retaliate with rubber bullets, the OC added.
The 45-year old man was killed when one of the bullets fired by the party men hit him, the police official added.
A bullet pierced through the chest of Babul, said Dr Mosleh Uddin of Comilla Medical College and Hospital.
The marauding activists also vandalised nearly 12 roadside shops and Daulatganj Railway Station during the clash.
SIRAJGANJ
Locals recover the body of a pedestrian who died after falling into a roadside pond while running for life during a clash between the activists of 18-party opposition combine and law enforcers in Sadar upazila of Sirajganj this morning. Photo: TV grab
A clash ensued between the opposition men and police while the party men were trying to block Zagaimore point around 7:30am, said Habibul Islam, officer-in-charge (OC) of Sadar Police Station.
The law enforcers had to fire at least 30 rubber bullets and teargas canisters to bring the situation under control, the OC said.
Hossain, who are passing through the area, fell into a roadside pond while trying to evade the clash, witnesses said.
Later, locals pulled Hossain out from the pond and rushed him to Sirajganj General Hospital where duty doctors declared him dead, witnesses said.
Several people were injured during the sporadic clashes that continued for nearly 30 minutes.
RAJSHAHI
At least 10 people were injured, including two by bullets, during a clash with the opposition men and police at Rajarhat in the city around 7:30am.
Meanwhile, the Rajshahi city unit of BNP called a six-hour shutdown from 6:00am for tomorrow in the city protesting the clash.
Mizanur Rahman Minu, BNP city unit president, announced the shutdown at a briefing at its Malopara office in the afternoon.
He termed the ‘attack’ on the party activists by police as an attempt to murder.
Bullet-hit Shafiqul Haque Milon, secretary general of the city unit BNP, and Isahak, 24, a local cricket player, underwent surgery at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital.
Milon was hit by bullets in his head and Isahak in his left eye, reports Rajshahi correspondent quoting Ziaur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Boalia Police Station.
Being resisted by police, the 18-party activists locked into a clash with the law enforcers, forcing them to lob several teargas canisters and fired bullets from shotguns, he said.
Milon was present in the procession but Isahak came in the line of fire while crossing a road near the Rajarhat Government City College, the OC said.
Meanwhile, a trucker and his helper were injured as his vehicle plunged into a roadside ditch when the truck came under the attack of opposition men at Dewanpara around 5:00am.
GAZIPUR
The opposition men vandalised a police van during a clash with law enforcers in Kaliganj upazila headquarters around 8:00am, said Mazharul Islam, a sub-inspector of Kaliganj Police Station.
The blockade supporters also blasted two crude bombs during the clash, the SI said.
Police fired several rounds of teargas canisters to disperse the activists and also picked up four opposition men from the scene.
The unruly activists also torched a bus on Dhaka-Tangail Highway at Chandra area of Kaliakoir upazila around 10:00am.
DINAJPUR
BNP-Jamaat men vandalised at least 15 vehicles in Dinajpur town, Birganj upazila and Ranirbandar area of Chirirbandar upazila since last night.
They also set fire to a motorbike in the town.
JOYPURHAT
The demonstrators exploded three crude bombs at Batamor area in the town around 8.20pm last night, leaving three persons including a police constable injured.
Constable Dulu Mia was rushed to Rangpur Medical College Hospital while two others at Joypurhat Modern Hospital.
PATUAKHALI
Ten opposition men received minor injuries when law enforcers charged batons on the opposition men in a clash on Patuakhali-Barisal highway at Telikhari in Patuakhai Sadar upazila.
BOGRA
At least four masked men set fire to the local office of Election Commission at Matidhali in Sadar upazila around noon.
The fire burnt election-related valuable documents, around 500 national identity cards and furniture, said office assistant Bazlar Rahman.
Source: The Daily Star
