400 hurt in attacks on AL's mourning programmes

Around four hundred leaders and activists of Awami League (AL) and its front organisations were injured as mourning day programmes marking the 30th death anniversary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman across the country yesterday came under attacks of the ruling BNP activists and cadres.

In Dohar, over 200 people, including 20-25 journalists and policemen, were injured as a band of BNP cadres opened fire and hurled brickbats on an AL rally and police.

The AL held a rally on the Narisha Road as the police repeatedly obstructed them from holding the rally at different places.

A group of BNP cadres led by Shahin Khalashi and Bachchu attacked on the rally when AL central leader Asaduzzaman Noor was addressing.

The police fired rubber bullets and teargas shells to bring the situation under control.

The situation of the local officer-in-charge (OC) along with three other cops, AL leaders Asaduzzaman Noor, Advocate Abdul Mannan Khan, Asim Kumar Ukil and Mahbubur Rahman were stated to be critical.

In protest of the BNP attack, angry people set ablaze four motor vehicles of the UNO and the police and damaged several public vehicles.

During the incidents, local MP and Communication Minister Nazmul Huda was present at Dohar to celebrate the birth anniversary of Prime Minister Khaleda Zia.

"No najat [salvation] day can be observed on the birthday of the prime minister," Huda said while addressing a public gathering.

Our Barisal correspondent adds: The National Mourning Day yesterday was observed at Hizla in Barisal and Dumki in Patuakhali amid attacks and obstacles created by ruling BNP activists.

The Barisal local administration yesterday imposed Section 144 on the Upazila Complex premises as the AL announced a programme to observe the death anniversary of Bangabandhu and the BNP declared another to celebrate the birth anniversary of Prime Minister Khaleda Zia at the same venue.

Following the imposition of Section 144, the mourning programme was shifted from the Upazila Complex to Harinathpur. But at Harinathpur also the programme came under a series of attacks by BNP cadres led by Ali Qari, upazila member-secretary of BNP, and Manir Dewan, upazila secretary of the Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD).

The attackers ransacked and looted the upazila AL office, four houses and four business enterprises of AL leaders, and foiled different AL programmes like destitute feeding, milad mahfil and mourning rallies at Harinathpur, Memania, Moulvibazar, Kalikapur, Kawria and other places of the upazila.

The BNP cadres also dispersed, chased and beat the participants of the programmes, and burnt AL flags, posters and other valuables at different places.

More than fifty persons were injured in these incidents, including upazila AL President Daliluddin Sikder, Secretary Abdur Razzak Khan, Vice President Abdur Razzak Sikder, Union Parishad (UP) Chairman Belayet Dhali, UP member Abdul Hanif and leaders of AL and its front organisations.

In Mehendiganj upazila, the AL leaders and activists could not attend the mourning day programmes as the BNP cadres created terror by blasting crackers, chasing them and holding showdowns.

In Barisal city, the police raided the houses of opposition leaders and activists and detained Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) workers Mithu and Anik.

Meanwhile, tension prevailed in Pirojpur district town as two factions of AL led by district unit Secretary AKM Awal and municipal Convenor Mustafa Sikder observed the day through separate programmes.

Our Patuakhali correspondent informs: BNP cadres looted the items collected for destitute feeding and foiled the mourning day programmes by continuous showdown in Dumki upazila.

The police dispersed the mourning rally of AL reportedly at the order of higher authority at Dashmina upazila of the district in the morning.

BD News adds: BNP-backed armed cadres attacked on an AL rally in Lakshmipur town leaving over 50 people, including some policemen, injured.

In Fulgazi upazila, five activists of AL were injured in the attack of BNP cadres.

BNP cadres attacked the mourning day programme in Keraniganj and broke about 50 arches erected over the Dhaka-Mawa road.

In another incident at Jainpur and Talerpur under Kolatia Union Parishad, over 50 cadres of Jatiyatabai Matsyajibi Dal, led by its president Chan Mia, attacked the AL programme leaving four people injured.

The cadres of JCD attacked a BCL procession at Thakurgaon Government College leaving over 20 injured.

The cadres of local MP Manjurul Ahsan Munshi foiled the mourning day programme of AL at Debidwar, Comilla. The local AL leaders blamed the police for helping the BNP cadres during the incident.

The BNP cadres foiled a mourning day programme at Chondani union in Rajbari. The attackers also stabbed Juba League activist Akram, 25, who was admitted to Rajbari Sadar Hospital.

The mourning day programmes of the AL also came under the attacks of BNP men at Munshiganj, Jhinedah, Jamalpur, Bagerhut, Chandpur, Bhola and Noakhali.