Clash with Cops: 300 BNP men sued, 13 placed on remand

Police yesterday filed a case against nearly 300 leaders and activists of BNP and its associated bodies over Sunday's clashes in front of the Jaitya Press Club during a protest over the death of writer Mushtaq Ahmed in custody.

Sub-Inspector Palash Saha filed the case with Shahbagh Police Station on charges of attempted murder of policemen, assault on police and carrying out vandalism, said Harunur Rashid, additional deputy commissioner (Ramna Zone) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police.

The SI named 48 leaders and activists as accused in the case. Also, there are 200-250 more accused who are unidentified leaders and activists.

Meanwhile, a Dhaka court yesterday placed 12 Chhatra Dal men on five-day remand each and another on two-day remand in the same case. They are among the named accused, said court sources.

The court's remand orders came after the investigation officer of the case produced the arrestees before it seeking 10-day remand for each.

The FIR of the case mentioned that police fired 75 bullets, 26 pellets and four teargas shells during the incident to disperse the protesters and ensure "public safety".

Among the accused are BNP Joint Secretary General Habibun Nabi Khan Sohel, Jubo Dal General Secretary Sultan Salauddin Tuku, Swechhasebak Dal General Secretary Abdul Kader Bhuiyan, JCD President Fazlur Rahman Khokon, and General Secretary Iqbal Hossain Shyamol. Among the other named accused are central and district level JCD leaders.

Chhatra Dal, the pro-BNP students' front, was scheduled to hold the rally in front of the Jatiya Press Club on Sunday morning protesting the move to revoke the gallantry award of late president Ziaur Rahman, and also demanding repeal of the Digital Security Act and an investigation into the death of writer Mushtaq in prison custody. Witnesses said police dispersed the JCD men before they could start the rally.

At least 40 people, including cops, were hurt in sporadic clashes between police and JCD men that lasted for about 40 minutes.

At one stage of the clashes, police entered the press club premises to drive JCD men away. Law enforcers were also seen firing rubber bullets and teargas shells towards the press club.

Yesterday, the JCD staged demonstrations on different university campuses and in districts protesting the police attack and arrests.

'POLICE DEMONSTRATED EXTREME PATIENCE'

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan yesterday said police "dealt the situation with extreme patience" during the clashes on Sunday.

The minister was replying to journalists' questions after attending the Police Memorial Day programme in the capital.

The minister said a few cops entered the press club premises and that they fired teargas shells to control the situation. He said the press club authorities should take the responsibility to prevent outsiders from entering its premises.

PROTESTS CONTINUE

Protests continued for the fourth consecutive day yesterday demanding justice for the death of writer Mushtaq and abolishment of the controversial Digital Security Act.

Around 200 leaders and activists of left-leaning Progressive Students Alliance brought out a procession from in front of Raju Memorial Sculpture on the Dhaka University campus and marched towards the Bangladesh Secretariat to lay seize to the home ministry around noon.

Police intercepted the procession before the DPDC building near the secretariat. The protesters held a rally there.

The demonstrators demanded release of all prisoners, including cartoonist Ahmed Kabir Kishore, held in cases filed under the DSA. They also demanded release of their eight leaders and activists who were arrested during demonstrations over Mushtaq's death and withdrawal of cases filed against them.

Talking to reporters, DMP ADC Harunur Rashid said he thanked the protesters for ending their rally peacefully at the request of police.

Addressing another programme, organised by Bangladesh Chhatra Adhikar Parishad, on the DU campus later in the day, former Ducsu VP Nurul Haque Nur demanded the DSA be repealed soon. He warned of waging a tougher movement soon if the demand was not met.

INFO MINISTER ON SUNDAY'S INCIDENT

Information Minister Hasan Mahmud yesterday said using a neutral organisation like the Jatiya Press Club as a shield during a clash is tantamount to committing an offence.

"Jatiya Press Club is a neutral national organisation and it is an institution of journalists. It is open to all irrespective of opinions and political parties. So, carrying out attacks on police from there is really unacceptable," he said.

Hasan, also the Awami League joint general secretary, was replying to reporters' queries at his ministry, reports BSS.

He said the question should be raised first why a journalist of ATN Bangla got injured in the attack from JCD activists.

About the DSA, the minister said similar provisions of chapter VI of the act are also in Chapter XI of the Information Technology Act of India and in Section 16 of the Protection of Electronic Crimes Act of Pakistan.