Sylhet traders block road

Businessmen here yesterday blocked Bandarbazar main road to protest 'police excess' in the name of recovering stolen items from jewellery shops.
Later, they withdrew the hour-long blockade after getting the city mayor's assurance to resolve the matter.
Eye-witnesses said, two assistant sub-inspectors of Chhatak PS of Sunamganj district with the assistance of Kotwali PS came to the jewellery market in the city's Bandarbazar area at about 12:30pm yesterday.
The police team also brought two people accused in a theft case with them. The law enforcers then attempted to pick up Tarek, son of Ali Akbar, owner of Shapla Jewellers on charge of buying some stolen ornaments from the two.
At a stage of heated exchange of words, the shop owner and staff of the neighbouring shops confined police to a shop. Shop owners and their staff from the neighbouring markets also joined the protest. The protesters blocked the main road in front of the market.
Sub-inspector Sohel Ahmed of Kotwali PS said the team went to the Shapla Jewellers for knowing whether they had purchased stolen gold ornaments from the two accused.
“But the businessmen misbehaved with the law enforcers. They even kept the policemen confined for more than an hour," he alleged.