Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson Khaleda Zia reached Chittagong Saturday evening on her way to Cox’s Bazar to visit Rohingyas facing series of attacks on her motorcade allegedly by Awami League activists that injured several people including journalists.
BNP claimed that the attacks injured many leaders and activists of the party and its front and associate organisations at places on Dhaka-Chittagong Highway, particularly in Feni.
Khaleda, however, escaped unhurt.
At least five journalists of different news media were injured as several vehicles carrying journalists were
attacked in Feni.
BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi at a briefing at the party’s central office at about 8:00pm alleged that the ‘unelected’ government unleashed attacks on Khaleda’s motorcade and it would deepen the crisis of democracy.
He alleged that ruling Awami league activists obstructed and attacked the motorcade at places, including at Kanchpur bridge in Narayanganj, Eliotganj in Comilla, near Mohipal bridge and Dharmapal in Feni, leaving several BNP leaders and activists injured.
BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir in a statement condemned the attack by ‘Awami goons.’
Jatiyatabadi Jubadal, Jatiyatabadi Chhatradal and Jatiyatabadi Swechchhasebok Dal called countrywide demonstrations for today to protest against the attack.
Khaleda reached in Chittagong circuit house at about 11:00pm where she was scheduled for staying overnight before starting for Cox’s Bazar this morning.
BNP leaders and activists were seen to be on the streets in Chittagong late in the night greeting Khaleda. Earlier, hundreds of enthusiastic BNP leaders and activists greeted their party chief Khaleda on her way to Chittagong.
About 50 youths reportedly involved in the politics of the ruling Awami League carried out the attack in the presence of the police, witnesses said.
Feni superintendent of police SM Jahangir Alam Sarkar and his deputy Kazi Moniruzzaman declined to comment on the attack while Feni police station officer-in-charge Rashed Khan Chowdhury said that he was not present at the scene.
Injured journalists said that vehicles of private television channels Ekattor Television, Boishaki, DBC and Channel-I, and Daily Prothom Alo and BBC Banlga, were damaged in the attack.
At least four journalists from print and electronic media following Khaleda’s motorcade were injured.
Of them, Ekattor TV special correspondent Shafiq Ahmed was seriously injured as the attackers hit him while he was on live broadcasting. The attacker took away the camera, the witnesses said.
At Baraiyarhat, some youths attacked a microbus carrying journalists, including a New Age reporter, at about 5:30pm.
Besides, witnesses said that a group of youths vandalised a restaurant in Feni where journalists were scheduled for taking lunch.
Leaders and activists of BNP and its front and associate organisations standing on street sides at different spots, including Kanchpur and Madanpur in Naryanganj, Gajaria in Munshiganj, Nimsar, Debidwar, Daudkandi Burichang, Patuarbazar and Chouddagram in Comilla and Feni welcomed Khaleda chanting slogans, holding placards and portraits of late president Ziaur Rahman, Khaleda and BNP senior vice-chairman Tarique Rahman as her motorcade passed by.
The gatherings of the party activists, however, caused traffic congestions at places.
Khaleda had a stopover in Feni Circuit house where she stayed for about two hours.
Khaleda was scheduled to stay overnight at Chittagong Circuit house on Saturday and start for Cox’s Bazar this morning. She would stay overnight at Cox’s Bazar circuit house.
She would start for Ukhia on Monday to visit Rohingya camps.
On her way back to Dhaka, Khaleda would stay overnight at Chittagong on Monday before starting for Dhaka on Tuesday.
Addressing the inaugural session of triennial conference of Moulvibazar district Awami League in the district town AL general secretary Obaidul Quader on Saturday alleged that BNP was trying to go to the power through creating anarchy.
Source: New Age
