About 300 people were killed and 9,800 others injured in clashes between the BNP, Jamaat-Shibir, law enforcers and ruling party men across the country in last one month, according to estimates of opposition parties.
A total 12,000 people were arrested following the clashes. Four lakh people including leaders and workers of the BNP and Jamaat have been implicated in hundreds of cases across the country.
Male members of many villages of 16 districts have abandoned their homes to avoid police persecution, sources added. Those implicated in cases also include many innocent and minor boys, they said.
Ain o Shalish Kendra (ASK), a legal aid and human rights organization source however said 171 people were killed and 6,449 others injured in clashes over the last three months.
Most of the victims were Jamaat-Shibir supporters who were killed in police shootings and offensive.
On February 28, at least 80 people, including five policemen, were killed and over 3000 were injured in clashes that ensued in 15 districts immediately after pronouncement of death sentence of Jamaat leader Delawar Hossain Sayedee.
Seventy one others were killed in clashes with law enforcers and several hundreds were injured since February 28. Meanwhile, clashes among ruling party men, BNP led alliance
and police claimed lives of 100 others following the verdict in Sayedee case.
At least 12,000 people of BNP and Jammat-Shibir were arrested in one month till Wednesday from across the country.
Members of minority communities, particularly Hindus in 41 districts were targets of attack during the last couple of months. At least 420 temples, 163 houses and 162 shops of the community were burnt or damaged in the attacks, AKS said.
Jamaat-Shibir men are blamed for the attacks but in some cases even ruling party people were also arrested on charge of attacks on temples and dwellings of members of minority communities. Those belonging to the ruling party were however, later released under influence of local leaders of the ruling party.
Based on newspaper reports, ASK estimated that some 230 clashes took place across the country following the death sentence of Sayeede.
Of those killed in clashes 44 were identified as members of Islami Chhatra Shibir, 10 others were identified as activists of the main opposition BNP .
A total of 96 people died in police custody and “crossfire” while 39 were killed in police shooting , AKS said.
People’s lack of confidence in law was demonstrated in lynching of 34 people in last three months, AKS source said adding 296 women were raped during the period across the country.
BNP and Jammat-Shibir leaders alleged that police have been conducting mass arrest of their party men. Those who have been arrested, they said, include 170 leaders of different levels.
Most of the arrests took place in Dhaka, Rajshahi, Rangpur, Chittagong, Khulna, Barisal and Sylhet, sources said.
Monirul Islam, spokesman of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), denying the allegation of mass arrest said” we arrest on the basis of specific charges.” There are however, allegation of greasing the palms of a section of police men for securing release of the arrested persons. Some ruling party leaders are also involved in such business, it is alleged.
Of the total death, 13 were killed in Bogra, 23 in Satkhira, nine in Gaibandha, 21 in Rajshahi, 6 each in Joypurhat, Rangpur, Thakurgaon and Chittagong, seven in Noakhali, 6 each in Sirajganj, Moulvibazar and Chapainawabganj, 5 each in Dinajpur, Dhaka and Cox’s Bazar while two each in Jhenidah, Gazipur, Natore and Nilphamari.
Source: ThenewNation
