Sylhet BCL 'attacks' cops, injures six

Six policemen were injured on Monday night in an alleged attack by Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) activists after three of the latter were stopped from riding a motorcycle over a Sylhet city road temporarily made off-limits to vehicles for an Urs (religious gathering).

Police said to have caught 10 “attackers”, including a former BCL central committee joint secretary, Masud Kamal Sufi, some from the spot and others from Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital, where they were seeking treatment.

They were shown arrested in an assault case injured Sub-inspector (SI) Shahin Miah filed with Kotwali Police Station that night against Masud and 34 unnamed BCL activists, and produced before a court which sent them to jail.

Shahin, assistant SIs Abdul Aziz, Farhad and Alfaz and constables Moslem and Faizul are being treated at the hospital for cuts and bruises, Officer-in-Charge (OC) Sohel Ahmed told The Daily Star.

Four or five cocktails exploded during the “attack” while police fired 36 bullets in the air and backup arrived from nearby posts, said SI Fazle Azim Patwary, the case's investigation officer.

The “attackers” damaged two trucks and some grocery shops before fleeing, said the OC.

Arriving on a motorcycle around 10:00pm at Ambarkhana Point where 10 policemen, including the injured six, were stationed, Masud and two others demanded that their vehicle be allowed to pass, he said.

“We are of Chhatra League. Why can we not go?” the OC quoted Masud as saying to the policemen.

Vehicles were barred from plying the road from Ambarkhana to Chouhatta from Monday evening till last night to facilitate access on foot to the Urs at the shrine of Hazrat Shah Jalal (RA), said the OC.

An altercation ensued and the three called in some 36 more activists before launching the “attack”, he and Fazle added.

General Secretary of the pro-ruling party student organisation SM Jakir Hossain said he got to know from local BCL leaders that police stopped the activists who were going to the Urs and “hit” them, leading to a “clash”.

“This is a total misunderstanding and I have requested the police commissioner to ensure that the real attackers are found and that innocent activists are not harassed,” he said.