Jamaat-Shibir carry out countrywide mayhem
The marauding activists of Jamaat-e-Islami and Islami Chhatra Shibir and some other Islamist parties clashed with police and pro-ruling party people across the country before and after Juma prayers yesterday, resulting in a large number of casualties and arrests.
The Islamists vandalised and torched Gonojagoron Mancha and Shaheed Minar as they protested the Shahbagh movement, which is to demand death penalty for war criminals.
Apart from deaths, scores of people, including police and journalists, were injured in the violence, report our district correspondents.
The Jamaat-Shibir men tore the national flag and fought with police at Shapath Chattar in Chandpur town. The violence lasting over an hour left 20 injured, including eight policemen.
Police said several thousand BNP and Jamaat activists with Islamists attacked them suddenly.
In Gaibandha town, two unidentified persons were killed and 45 others wounded as Jamaat-Shibir activists under the Hefazat-e-Islam banner clashed with police.
The security force fired tear gas and gunshots at the rowdies, leaving the two dead.
Among the injured were seven policemen. The law enforcers opened fire after more than 3,000 Islamists vandalised the Gonojagoron Mancha and 15 shops and pelted stones at them.
A madrasa teacher named Abdus Salam was beaten dead allegedly by Bangladesh Chhatra League and Awami League activists during violence in Jhenidah town.
A journalist and four people were injured. Police said hundreds of Islamists brought out a procession demanding punishment for the Shahbagh bloggers.
In Kurigram, Jamaat sympathisers brought out processions in three upazilas under the "Tauhidi Janata" banner and ransacked Ulipur upazila AL office.
Police fired 17 rubber bullets and arrested four Jamaat-Shibir men.
Different Islamist parties led by Jamaat-Shibir vandalised and torched the Gonojagoron Mancha at Shatmatha in Bogra town and clashed with police, leaving at least 50 agitators and nine policemen injured. Police rounded up 16 attackers.
Protesting the attack on the Gonojagoron Mancha, the anti-war criminal campaigners demanded withdrawal of the district's deputy commissioner (DC) and superintendent of police (SP) by Saturday.
Jamaat-Shibir men attacked the Shaheed Minar and vandalised the Gonojagoron Mancha in Feni town. Police arrested two persons.
Jamaat-Shibir activists and the supporters of 12 like-minded Islamist parties also blocked the Dhaka-Chittagong highway in Mahipal area and vandalised some vehicles.
At the district town's Dhalia Bazar, at least five were injured as Jamaat-Shibir men clashed with Chhatra League and Jubo League activists.
Meanwhile, some unidentified miscreants vandalised a branch of Islami Bank in the college road area.
In Moulvibazar, Islamists burnt the "Gonojagoron Mancha" banners and copies of some newspapers, including the daily Prothom Alo. Their clashes with police left five injured. About 10 activists of the Islamist political parties were arrested.
When police fired on a procession against the Shahbagh movement, a Shibir activist received bullet injury in Joypurhat.
In Pabna, Jamaat men vandalised the Gonojagoron Mancha and ransacked the district AL office. When police tried to stop them, they started to clash, leaving at least 10 injured.
The Jamaat men also barricaded the Dhaka-Pabna highway for one hour.
At least 35, including three policemen, were injured in the clashes in Patuakhali sadar and Galachipa upazilas. Police arrested five attackers in the district town and seven more in Galachipa.
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