Jamaat attacks BGB vehicle

A policeman lies motionless on a road in Narayanganj yesterday after an attack by Jamaat-Shibir activists, but this young man continues to beat him up with a large stick. Photo: Courtesy

At least 70 people including policemen and journalists were injured as activists of Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir clashed with law enforcers in five districts yesterday.
Our Chapainawabganj correspondent reports that Amjad Hossain, a sepoy of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), sustained injuries when Jamaat-Shibir men attacked their vehicle.
Around 200 Jamaat-Shibir activists held a rally at Mohananda Bus Stand around 3:45pm. Suddenly a group strayed from the rally and vandalised the passing van of 9 BGB Battalion, injuring its driver, said Golam Mortuza, officer-in-charge (OC) of Sadar Police Station.
They also vandalised a pick-up van at the same time.
In Khulna, at least 15 people including a policeman were injured. The Jamaat-Shibir activists hurled five cocktails on the policemen who retaliated by firing rubber bullets and teargas shells, reports our Khulna correspondent.
The clash sparked around 10:00am when over a hundred Jamaat-Shibir men brought out a procession in front of Boyra Bazaar demanding release of the arrested Jamaat leaders including the war crimes suspects.
When the procession drew near Khulna Public College, police intervened, said Quamruzzaman, OC of Sonadanga Model Police Station.
Rakib, a police constable, sustained injuries during the clash, the OC added.
In Sylhet, at least 50 people including six policemen and two journalists were injured in a battle between law enforcers and Jamaat-Shibir activists at Zindabazar yesterday afternoon.
Police detained at least 49 activists from the spot. The clash ensued when police attempted to prevent the activists from bringing out a procession.
The injured journalists -- Shafique Ahmed, camera crew of Channel 24, Md Mahmud, photojournalist of Daily Inquilab -- and Md Ataur Rahman, OC of Kotwali Police Station, were admitted to MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital.
In Narayanganj, three policemen sustained injuries when Jamaat-Shibir men clashed with the law enforcers in the town yesterday.
The injured -- Robi Charan Chowhan, sub-inspector of Narayanganj Sadar Police Station, constables Abul Kashem and Jewel -- were admitted to a local hospital.
Police detained four activists on the spot, said Sheikh Nazmul Alam, superintendent of police (SP) of Narayanganj.
In Jessore, police dispersed a Jamaat-Shibir procession by charging batons and firing two rounds of shots in the air.
In Chittagong, police filed 13 cases against more than 400 Jamaat-Shibir men on charges of vandalism, arson and obstructing vehicles on the city streets during Tuesday's hartal.
The cases were filed with different police stations of the district and the metropolitan area, said police sources. Of those, four were lodged under the Speedy Trial Act, 2002.
Nine Jamaat-Shibir men, detained during the hartal hours, were shown arrested in the cases.