10 hurt in clash with cops

At least 10 people were left injured when Bangladesh Sramik League (BSL) rivals and police clashed on Dhaka-Barisal Highway yesterday morning.
During the clash, the party activists vandalised four buses, four microbuses and four motorcycles and blocked the highway for around an hour. Police fired 16 rubber bullets and six canisters of tear gas to bring the situation under control.
Witnesses said BSL Barisal city unit convener Aftab Hossain was entering the city with his supporters gathering at Chay Mile area on the highway to receive him.
Rivals led by BSL leader Kamal Hossain and Bangladesh Swechchasebak League leader Zahangir Kabir, armed with lethal weapons, and police barred him from entering, leading to the clash, they said.
Barisal Metropolitan Police Commissioner Syed Tawfique Uddin Ahmed said they asked Aftab not to enter as it would “deteriorate the law and order situation”. He, however, denied of any rivals being present.
Kamal could not be contacted over phone while Zahangir denied knowledge of the incident.
Sources said Aftab was residing in Dhaka since a clash occurred between ruling party-backed road transport workers and police over operation of a mobile court on the highway on February 1.
Aftab, backed by district Awami League secretary Abul Hasanat Abdullah; and Kamal and Jahangir, backed by Barisal City Corporation Mayor Shawkat Hossain Hiron; are engaged in taking control of Barisal Nathullabad central bus terminal, they added.