AL cadres attack BNP demonstration
A group of unruly Awami League cadres yesterday afternoon unleashed an attack on a BNP demonstration at Alam Market premises in the city's Jurain area, vandalising the dais and driving out demonstrators.
Soon after a speech by BNP standing committee member Khandaker Moshrraf Hossain at the pre-procession rally, a group of ruling AL activists numbering about 50 appeared at the venue and swooped on the rally chanting 'Joy Bangla' slogans around 4:50pm and chased the BNP leaders and workers.
The incident took place in the presence of huge numbers of police but they did not take any steps to contain the attackers.
Some of the attackers threw bricks towards the gathering, but till the filing of this report at 5:00pm, no injuries had been reported. Following the attack, the demonstrators left the venue.
Later, AL activists brought out a procession in the area chanting slogans in favour of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
As part of the ongoing demonstrations in different parts of the capital organised by BNP that begun on Wednesday, demonstrations were held at 10 points in the city yesterday demanding a resolution to the crisis of electricity, gas and water.
Addressing that rally in front of Alam Market under Shyampur thana before it came under attack, BNP leader Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain said any government which cannot provide electricity, water and gas has no right to stay in power.
He said people of the entire country are now aggrieved following the failures of the government.
Mosharraf criticised and refuted the prime minister's recent statement blaming the last BNP led four-party alliance government for the present crisis of electricity, water and gas.
He said the BNP alliance government had added 1500 MW new electricity to the national grid during the 2001-06 period. A number of projects were undertaken and the tender process was also finalised for generation of another 2500MW of electricity. But the last military-backed caretaker government abandoned those projects.
He said if those projects were implemented the present crisis of electricity would have been avoided.
The demonstrations took place peacefully in other areas led by the central leaders including Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir at Mirpur, city Mayor Sadeq Hossain Khoka in front of Motsha Bhaban under Ramna thana, Brig Gen (retd) Hannan Shah at Mohakhali-Gulshan area, Mirza Abbas at Khilgaon crossing and Abdul Moyeen Khan in front of New Market.
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