Demo over price hike: BNP men clash with police, AL supporters

At least 45 BNP leaders and activists were injured in clashes with police and Awami League men in Narsingdi and Tangail yesterday.

In Jashore, the house and car of a BNP leader were vandalised.

The BNP, from August 22, began a series of countrywide programmes to protest the hikes in prices of fuel and daily essentials.

During the protests, clashes broke out when police obstructed BNP activists;  ruling party men also launched attacks on them in some places.

These attacks were carried out even after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on August 14 said the BNP should be allowed to protest and that no one should be arrested.

In Narsingdi, at least 35 BNP men were injured as police baton-charged them and fired rubber bullets after they brought out a procession.

Quoting police and local BNP leaders, our Narsingdi correspondent reports that the local BNP was supposed to hold a rally at the Hafizpur schoolground in Monohardi.

Around 2:00pm, when the BNP leaders and activists, some carrying weapons, brought out a procession, police stopped them near Hetemdi intersection, and a clash ensued.

Aminur Rahman Dolon, member-secretary of the upazila BNP, claimed 27 of his party men were injured by rubber bullets while eight others were injured in an attack by AL and BCL men.

Saheb Ali Pathan, additional superintendent of police in Narsingdi, said the BNP was requested not to bring out a procession on the road as the AL had announced a programme in the same area.

Later, AL men joined police and attacked BNP men at different points, witnesses said.

ASP Pathan said police were forced to disperse them by firing rubber bullets as the BNP men kept throwing brickbats.

At least 10 police personnel were injured, he said, adding that legal action would be taken in this regard.

Denying the allegations, Priyashish Roy, general secretary of the upazila AL, said that at the time of the incident, the local AL leaders and activists were busy with the party's own programme.

In Jashore, the house of Anindya Islam Amit, acting organising secretary of Khulna division BNP, was attacked yesterday afternoon after his car was vandalised.

The district BNP office was also vandalised.

On Saturday, the homes of the top four district BNP leaders were attacked.

Tajul Islam, officer-in-charge of Kotwali Police Station, said action would be taken if someone files a complaint.

In Tangail's Kalihati, BNP men claimed they were attacked by Chhatra League activists. At least 10 people were injured and 17 motorcycles, six pickup vans and four buses were vandalised, they said.

Witnesses said when a rally by the upazila BNP was going on, BCL men arrived with sticks and assaulted the BNP activists.

Later, the police reached the spot and brought the situation under control, said Azizur Rahman, OC of Kalihati Police Station.

Meanwhile in Noakhali, police filed a case against 494 BNP men, naming 94, including central Joint Secretary General AMM Mahbub Uddin Khokon, on charges of assaulting police during the BNP-Awami League clash in Sonaimuri on Saturday.

Two BNP activists were arrested, said Haroon-Or-Rashid, OC of Sonaimuri Police Station.

In Magura, Saurav Mollah, general secretary of Magura Adarsha ​​College Chhatra League, filed a case with Magura Sadar Police Station against 436 BNP men on charges of vandalism and assault in connection with Saturday's clash. Of the accused, only 36 are named.

Police have so far arrested six BNP men, said Mostafizur Rahman, OC of Magura Police Station.

Meanwhile, local administrations of Cox's Bazar's Pekua and Rangamati's Kaptai upazilas yesterday imposed Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, which restricts freedom of assembly, to avert any untoward situation after local units of the BNP and AL called programmes at the same place on the same day.

(Our correspondents in Narsingdi, Tangail and Noakhali contributed to this report.)