Two killed in fresh violence
After nearly two weeks of eerie calm, violence erupted again yesterday as police aided by ruling party members clashed with protesters in the capital and several other districts, leaving at least two dead and almost 150 injured.
In Habiganj, a labourer died after he was caught in the middle of a clash while police said a constable died after he was assaulted by protesters in Khulna.
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Clashes took place in Uttara in the capital, Sylhet, Khulna, Narsingdi, Chattogram and Noakhali during processions of the "student movement against discrimination".
Thousands of students, cultural activists and the general public took part in yesterday's programme defying rain to press home their demand for justice for the recent killings centring the quota reform protests and immediate release of detainees.
The country witnessed violence on an unprecedented scale from July 16 to July 21 as agitators and law enforcers, Border Guard Bangladesh members, and ruling party activists clashed. Over 200 people were killed and thousands injured, many with gunshot wounds.
In Khulna yesterday, Metropolitan Police Commissioner Mozammel Haque said a constable named Suman Gharami died after agitators beat him up. Police members found him with a serious head injury in Gallamari in the evening.
They rushed him to the nearby Khulna City Medical College Hospital, police said.
The hospital authorities said Suman was pronounced dead after he was brought there.
Three other policemen -- Mazharul Islam, Sohanur Rahman Sohag and Soumen -- are being treated there.
In Habiganj, Mostaq Ahmed, a 24-year-old labourer, died after he was caught in a clash between protesting students and police in the afternoon.
Locals said Mostaq, who was from Sylhet Tuker Bazar area, was shot when went to the town to buy shoes.
Moyeen Uddin Chowdhury, resident medical officer of Habiganj 250-bed Hospital, said Mostaq died at the hospital due to excessive bleeding from his arm.
Witnesses said students began demonstrating in front of the Board Masjid in Habiganj after Juma prayers while Chhatra League activists took position in Town Hall area.
At one point, locals and activists of different political parties joined the students and started marching. Chhatra League members intercepted the procession and a clash began. Police then used firearms and teargas, leaving at least 50 wounded.
The agitators also threw brickbats and stones at the residence of Habiganj-3 lawmaker Abu Zahir.
In the capital's Uttara-11, at least three people were injured by rubber bullets in a clash between protesters, police and ruling party activists in front of Zamzam Tower around 4:15pm.
The clash broke out when ruling party supporters attacked marching students.
Police fired rubber bullets, threw stun grenades, and used tear gas shells to disperse the crowd, according to sources.
A witness said, "Some people in helmets shot at the students... Coming under attack, the students ran to different alleyways."
Another witness told this newspaper that a student named Tahmid Huzaifa had taken treatment at an Uttara hospital after being hit by rubber bullets.
A nurse at Uttara Adhunik Hospital, requesting anonymity, said they treated two students, who suffered rubber bullet wounds.
Tohidul Islam, additional deputy commissioner (Uttara) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, said the protesters set fire to a training school of Special Branch in Uttara.
"We brought the situation under control by 5:30pm by using teargas and sound grenades," he added.
In Khulna, police fired rubber bullets, used teargas, and charged batons as students marched in front of Khulna University around 3:00pm. At least 50 protesters were injured.
Students later gathered near the Sonadanga bus terminal and marched towards Gollamari.
As police swooped on them, they took positions near the local Met office and Zero Point areas.
Mozammel Haque, commissioner of Khulna Metropolitan Police, told The Daily Star that police were tolerant. But they had to fire teargas shells to save themselves from brickbats hurled by the students.
Sumon Roy, resident medical officer at Khulna Medical College and Hospital, said that as of 7:30pm yesterday, one student with rubber bullet wounds and nine others sick from teargas were admitted to the hospital.
In Sylhet, Mithu Das Joy, bureau chief of Daily Kalbela, a child, seven policemen and 25 others were injured in clashes.
Around 4:00pm, law enforcers attacked protesters in front of Mount Adora Hospital in Sylhet's Akhalia area, resulting in clashes that lasted for over four hours.
In Chattogram, a police box was torched at Wasa intersection as protesters marched after Juma prayers. They demonstrated on Laldighi-Rifles Club road.
Meanwhile, several thousand protesters, mostly students, blocked Dhaka-Tangail Highway in Tangail Town Bypass area around 4:00pm.
As the BGB and police tried to clear the highway, the demonstrators threw brickbats at them. Then the BGB and police retreated.
The protesters left the area around 4:45pm.
In Narsingdi, Chhatra League, Jubo League and Mahila League members attacked a procession in the Court Road area around 2:30pm.
At least 12 people were injured in the attack.
In Noakhali, 10 people were injured as students and Jubo League and Chhatra League activists clashed near Chawkbazar Masjid around 2:00pm.
At least eight protesters and two BCL activists were injured, said locals.
Yasin Faruk Majumder, officer-in-charge of Lakshmipur Model Police Station, said police brought the situation under control.
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