15 hurt in Ctg BCL-cop clash

At least 15 people including two policemen were injured as Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) activists clashed with the law enforcers in Chittagong city this afternoon.

The clash erupted when the activists of the city unit BCL tried to vandalise the construction works of a swimming pool at Chittagong Outer Stadium in Kazir Dewri area around 4.30 pm, our Chittagong staff correspondent reports from the spot.

The BCL men hurled brickbats as police intercepted them, triggering the clash. Police fired around 40 rounds of bullets from shotgun alongside tear shells and charged batons to take the situation under control, said SM Mostain Hussain, deputy commissioner of Chittagong Metropolitan Police (West zone).

Police resisted the BCL activists as they tried to vandalise the fencing of a government work, he said.

Of the injured, Amitab Chowdhury Babu and Golam Samdani Jony, joint general secretaries of the city unit BCL, and BCL activist Liton Chowdhury suffered bullet wounds, claims Nurul Azim Rony, general secretary of Chittagong city unit BCL.

Ten other BCL activists were injured as police charged batons and fired teargas shells to them, he said adding that the injured BCL men were admitted to Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH).

Meanwhile, Sub-Inspector Shahidul Islam and Constable Piklu Barua of Kotwali Police Station were injured during the clash and they were admitted to CMCH, said Nayek Md Hannan of CMCH Police Camp.

The BCL activists also vandalised around 12 vehicles on the road during the clash, according to eye witnesses.

The BCL men have been demonstrating demanding cancellation of construction of swimming pool at Outer Stadium of the city for the last few days.

They also gave 48-hour ultimatum on Sunday to press home their demand.