242 hurt in 7 dists as ruling, opposition men clash

Black smoke cloud comes out from a market after BNP-led 18-party activists set fire to an office of the ruling party in Noakhali Sadar upazila during a clash with the law enforcers on Friday. Photo: Banglar Chokh

At least 242 were hurt as opposition activists clashed with law enforcers and the ruling Awami League men in seven districts centring the opposition's anti-government rallies today.
Four activists of BNP front organisations and Jamaat-e-Islami were killed in three districts during the violence.

CHITTAGONG

At Lalkhan Bazar area in Chittagong city, around 40-50 activists of Islami Chhatra Shibir, student wing of Jamaat, vandalised around four to five markets from 5:00pm.
The marauding activists broke windowpanes of the markets with brick chips and bamboo sticks for nearly one hour.
As they reached CDA Avenue, police resisted them and fired several blank shots and lobbed teargas canisters to disperse them, Mainul Islam Bhuiyan, officer in-charge of Khulshi Police Station told The Daily Star.
In another incident in Sitakunda upazila of the district, activists of BNP-led 18-party alliance allegedly attacked Awami League men in Sukhlal Bazar area.
Around 10-12 AL activists were hurt in the clash that took place around 4:00pm today.
Seven policemen were also injured as they tried to bring the situation under control, reports our correspondent quoting Farid Uddin, additional police superintendent of Chittagong (North).
COMILLA
At least 20 people including seven police were injured as activists of Awami League and BNP clashed in Monoharganj upazila of Comilla.
AL men, on motorbikes, swooped in on the BNP activists around 6:00pm near the city centre.
In retaliation, BNP men torched Awami League’s upazila office as well as four motorbikes.
Seven cops received minor injuries as they tried to bring the situation under control by firing several teargas shells, reports our correspondent quoting Abdul Jalil, officer-in-charge of Monoharganj Police Station.
NOAKHALI
More than 100 people were injured in a clash between BNP-led 18-party supporters and law enforcers in Maijdi upazila of Noakhali today.
Opposition activists torched the district Awami League office, 15 shops and four motorcycles in the bazaar area, reports our Noakhali correspondent quoting Anisur Rahman, superintendent of police in Noakhali.
The clash erupted as the opposition activists brought out a procession and blasted crude bombs and set fire to the AL office around 4:00pm.
Two units of fire service rushed to the spot to douse the fire.
On information, police rushed to the spot and fired over 500 rounds of teargas shells and rubber bullets to bring the situation under control, the police super said.
BRAHMANBARIA
At least 10 people were injured and a motorbike was torched after BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami men attacked an Awami League procession in Kasba upazila of Brahmanbaria today.
According to eyewitnesses and police sources, as the AL procession was passing Kasba upazila Press Club around 5:00pm, a group of BNP and Jaamat men attacked them with indigenous weapons leaving at least ten injured, Md Badrul Alam, officer-in-charge of Kasba Police Station told The Daily Star.
To control the situation Police fired 30 rounds of rubber bullets and teargas canisters to bring the clash, which lasted for around an hour, under control.
PATUAKHALI
At least 15 BNP activists were injured when Awami League men allegedly attacked a motorcade of former home minister Altaf Hossain Chowdhury in Sadar upazila of Patuakhali this morning.
The motorcade came under attack when Hossain, along with his partymen, was on the way to a rally of BNP-led 18-party opposition combine at Badarpur area in Sadar upazila, reports our correspondent.
A group of 20 to 25 AL men attacked the motorcade around 9:30am in Telekhali area, Golam Rahman, office secretary of district unit of BNP told The Daily Star.
On information police rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control, said Monirul Islam, officer in-charge of Patuakhali Police Station.