50 hurt in clash with cops

Agitators block Dhaka-Sylhet highway at Basail in Narsingdi by putting logs and vandalised and torched vehicles including a bus, inset, after police charged baton on a rally of Lokman Sangram Parishad, a locals' group demanding trial of the killers of slain mayor Lokman Hossain, yesterday. The rally was called in protest of a programme of Labour and Employment Minister Rajiuddin Ahmed Raju in Raipura upazila scheduled for Monday. Narsingdi Mayor Kamruzzaman said they protested against the minister for “providing shelter to the killers of Lokman”. Photo: Banglar Chokh

At least 50 people including the Narsingdi municipality mayor were injured in a clash between supporters of slain mayor Lokman Hossain and police in the town yesterday.
Protesting police action, supporters of Lokman Sangram Parishad, a locals' group demanding trial of the killers of popular Lokman, have called dawn-to-dusk hartal for two consecutive days from Sunday.
The agitating people also set fire to three vehicles including a Dhaka-bound "Maitree" passenger bus, running between Agartala and Dhaka, and barricaded Dhaka-Sylhet highway, said Subrata Howlader, additional superintendent of police in Narsingdi.
The demonstration was called to protest a programme scheduled for Monday by Labour and Employment Minister Rajiuddin Ahmed Raju at Serajnagar High School in Raipura upazila.
Mayor Kamruzzaman, who is also younger brother of the slain mayor, said they protested against the minister for "providing shelter to the killers of Lokman".
Earlier, police foiled a procession of Lokman Sangram Parishad led by Kamruzzaman in Shapla Chattar area around 3:00pm.
Peerjada Mohammad Ali, convener of Lokman Sangram Parishad, said the clash ensued as police fired teargas shells and rubber bullets to disperse the agitators that left at least 50 people including five journalists and the mayor injured.
The injured journalists are Sanjit Saha of Channel 24, Makhon Das of ETV, Benojir Ahmed Benu of The Daily Star, Biswanath Paul of Dainik Pal and Jasim Uddin of The Daily Sangbad.
On November 1 last year, the then Narsingdi municipality mayor Lokman died at Dhaka Medical College Hospital, hours after masked assailants had shot him at Narsingdi city Awami League office.
None of the 22 passengers of the Maitree bus, 12 Indians and the rest Bangladeshis, were injured. But its driver and the contractor sustained minor injuries as they were hit by stones thrown by the agitators, reports IANS quoting an Agartala transport official.
“The incident is an isolated and a stray occurrence, not targeted at the Indian bus or passengers,” an official statement of Tripura government said.