Violence sweeps the country
Widespread violence rocked the nation yesterday after the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government was ousted following a mass uprising.
Residences and offices of ministers, lawmakers and AL leaders, government establishments, police stations and business institutions were attacked and vandalised in at least 17 districts.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. In Chattogram, miscreants attacked different government establishments including the Chattogram Metropolitan Police Headquarters, Dampara Police Lines, and Chattogram Circuit House. They tried to attack Chattogram Central Jail where prison guards opened fire to disperse the marauders.
A mob attacked Chattogram Circuit House in Kazir Dewri at around 4:40pm, threw brickbats at it, and vandalised at least 10 vehicles on the premises.
Some 100-150 people attacked CMP Headquarters and Dampara Police Lines around 5:00pm.
Different police stations -- including ones in Patenga, EPZ, Kotwali and Sadarghat -- came under attacks. The marauders set the police stations on fire, alongside vandalism and looting.
At least 200 people were admitted to Chattogram Medical College Hospital till 8:00pm, and one man was brought dead around 6:00pm, said Rajib Kumar Dey, ward master of CMCH.
Tension was prevailing in the port city till the filing of this report at 11:00pm.
In Sylhet, miscreants vandalised, looted and arsoned several government establishments, and many houses, offices and businesses of AL leaders.
The office of Sylhet District Police, residence of superintendent of police in Sylhet, and police outposts in Bandarbazar and Sobhanighat were set on fire in the afternoon.
The residences of former state minister for expatriates welfare and overseas employment Shafiqur Rahman Chowdhury and parliamentarian Ranjit Chandra Sarker; Sylhet city AL president Mashuk Uddin, and AL leaders Azadur Rahman Azad and Rezwan Ahmed also came under similar attacks.
News on more attacks on AL leaders' houses in different areas were surfacing till the filing of this report.
Several business outlets -- including those of Aarong, Yellow, Maha, Rajbari Restaurant, Uthan Restaurant, Unique Pharmacy -- were also vandalised and looted.
In Natore, a mob set fire to Natore-2 lawmaker Shafiqul Islam Shimul's house in the district headquarters.
The residence of Zunaid Ahmed Palak, former minister of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology, was also vandalised in Singra Upazila.
Besides, residences and offices of at least three other AL leaders were also vandalised.
Besides, in Narayanganj, agitated people vandalised houses and business establishments of Shamim Osman and his family members.
In Thakurgaon, residence and business establishments of lawmaker Ramesh Chandra Sen came under attack in the Sadar upazila.
Meanwhile, Chhatra League central unit president Saddam Hossain's village home was torched in Egaromile area under Atwary upazila in Panchagarh.
Panchagarh-1 lawmaker Naimuzzaman Mukta's residence was also attacked, while over a hundred houses and shops were looted and set ablaze.
In Feni, residences of lawmaker Nizam Hazari and other AL leaders, and municipal offices were attacked and vandalised.
Residence and business establishments of lawmaker Iqbalur Rahim were vandalised. Besides, Nawabganj upazila unit AL office was vandalised, and Bochaganj Police Station was torched in Dinajpur.
In Jashore, businesses and residences of AL leader Shahin Chakladar and lawmaker Nabil Ahmed were vandalised.
In Satkhira, a mob attacked and broke into the district jail, allowing many inmates to flee, while also looting different materials from the jail, said witnesses and local journalists.
In Cumilla, the residence of lawmaker AKM Bahauddin was attacked in the district headquarters.
In Noakhali, a section of angry students and people looted furniture from the district AL office before setting it on fire yesterday afternoon. They also attacked Noakhali Press Club twice in a row.
Besides, the residence of Shihab Uddin, vice-president of district AL unit, was attacked and vandalised.
In Sherpur, a mob vandalised the main gate of deputy commissioner's residence in the Gopalbari area around 12:00pm. They also vandalised and set fire to the officers' quarters adjacent to DC's residence, while Sherpur Sadar Police Station also came under similar attacks.
In Bogura, protesters attacked Sadar Police Station and set it afire.
Numerous shops in Police Plaza were looted. District AL offices and houses of local AL leaders were vandalised.
In Savar, at least eight bullet-hit persons, and over a hundred others with pellet wounds, were brought to Enam Medical College and Hospital.
The agitators also set fire to Savar Model and Ashulia police stations, Savar Press Club, and many houses and establishments in Savar, Ashulia and Dhamrai areas, according to the fire service.
In Cox's Bazar, the local AL unit office was vandalised and set ablaze in Teknaf yesterday afternoon.
In Chandpur, Selim Khan, chairman of Laxmipur model union parishad, and his son Shanto Khan were killed in a stampede while fleeing from the locality at Bagara Bazar area yesterday afternoon, said Sheikh Mohsin Alam, officer-in-charge of Chandpur Sadar Model Police Station.
[Our correspondents from respective districts contributed to the report.]
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