30 hurt in clashes with cops in districts

Islami Chhatra Shibir activists burn tyre on Meherpur-Chuadanga highway in Rajnagar area of Meherpur Tuesday morning, the last day of 60-hour hartal (shutdown) enforced by BNP-led 18-party alliance. Photo: STAR

35 hurt in clashes with cops in districts

Star Online Report

At least 35 people were injured as the opposition activists clashed with police and ruling Awami Leagie men in different districts across the country on the last day of the opposition combine-called 60-hour hartal today.

The pro-hartal activists torched a bus in Manikganj and vandalised at least eight vehicles in Gazipur.

At least 24 crude bombs were blasted in Rajshahi, Sylhet, Barisal and Joypurhat. A rickshaw-puller was injured in the explosion in Joypurhat

The pro-hartal activists vandalised windowpanes of three banks and a diagnostic center in Debidwar upazila of Comilla.

Meanwhile, local administration imposed a ban on political gatherings in Joypurhat town, Akhaura municipality area of Brahmanbaria and Sharankhola in Bagerhat to avoid clashes between AL and the opposition.

The BNP-led 18-party opposition combine enforced the shutdown from 6:00am Sunday demanding all-party polls-time government.

GAZIPUR

At least 20 people, including Gazipur City Corporation Mayor MA Mannan and a police officer, were injured in clashes in Sadar and Sreepur upazilas of the district in the morning.

The 18-party activists led by Mannan brought out a procession from Joydevpur in support of their hartal around 9:30am.

As the procession reached Shibbari, the activists vandalised three CNG-run auto-rickshaws and blasted at least 12 crackers.

Police charged batons and fired rubber bullets and teargas shells to disperse the opposition men, said SM Kamruzzaman, officer-in-charge of Joybevpur Police Station.

At least 20 people including several passersby were injured during the incident, witnesses said.

The mayor, who was among the injured, received primary treatment at a local hospital, said Billal Hossain, personal assistant of Mannan.

Among the other injured, Hasan Ajmal Bhuiyan, councillor of the city corporation, and district Jatiyatabadi Mohila Dal activist Dipa Chowdhury were rushed to GazipurSadarHospital.

At least five people also fell sick when police lobbed teargas canister at the scene, witnesses said.

The activists of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, the student wing of BNP, vandalised three human haulers and two CNG-run three-wheelers on Dhaka-Mymensingh highway at MC Bazar in Sreepur upazila around 9:30am.

RAJSHAHI

At least 10 BNP men were injured when police charged batons on their procession at Sonadighi intersection in the city, said Shafiqul Islam Shamapta, district unit president of JCD.

Police also fired rubber bullets to bring the situation under control while the hartal supporters exploded at least four cocktails.

BARISAL

JCD men blasted three cocktails when law enforcers resisted them from picketing on Kabi Jibananda Das Road in the morning.

Police fired bullets to disperse the pro-hartal activists and picked up three JCD activists from the spot.

SYLHET

The BNP activists brought out a procession from Zindabazar in the city around 9:30am.

When the procession reached in Court Point area, the activists blasted at least 15 crude bombs.

MANIKGANJ

Pickets set fire to a bus and severely beat up its driver in Belta area of Manikganj Sadar upazila around 5:15am. The bus used to carry garment factory workers.

The hartal supporters also blocked Dhaka-Singair-Manikganj road in Mitora area for half an hour since around 6:00am.

JOYPURHAT

The activists of BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir blocked roads, brought out a procession in the town violating the section 144 imposed by the district administration.

They also exploded at least two cocktails, leaving a rickshaw-puller injured. He was rushed to Joypurhat Modern Hospital, police said.

The district administration has imposed the ban on any political gatherings in the district town from 11:00am Monday to 6:00pm today to avoid possible clash between AL and 18-party alliance.

Police said the pickets of Jamaat-Shibir and BNP men brought out a procession near Batamor in the town around 9.00am and blocked the road putting logs and setting fire on tyres.

COMILLA
Pro-hartal activists vandalised windowpanes of Sonali Bank, Agrani Bank, Social Islami Bank of Bangladesh and Islami Diagnostic Center at Debidwar upazila.

Around 11:00am, BNP-Jamaat men brought out a procession at Borolekha in the upazila, said Golam Morshed, OC of Debidwar Police Station.

When policemen chased them in order to disperse the processionists, the activists left the after vandalising the business establishments, the OC said.

BRAHMANBARIA

Local administration imposed the section 144 in Akhaura municipality area from 7:00am to 7:00pm today as both the ruling and opposition parties planned to hold rallies in Akhaura Sarak Bazaar area today, said Md Khurshid Shahrier, Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) of Akhaura.

MEHERPUR

Shibir men tried to block Meherpur-Chuadanga highway setting fire on tyres at Rajnagar around 7:30am.

But they left the scene as soon as a team from Meherpur Sadar Police Station rushed there.

Later, police recovered a cocktail from the spot, said Razul Islam, OC of the police station.

NATORE

Police detained five BNP-Jamaat men during overnight raids yesterday from different key points of the district suspecting that they may create anarchy today, said Dr Nahid Hossain, superintendent of police of the district.

BAGERHAT

Local administration has imposed a ban on all political gatherings at Panchrasta intersection in Sharankhola upazila for 12 hours from 6:00am as AL and 18-party combine decided to hold anti and pro-hartal rallies there at the same time.

KURIGRAM

At least six persons were injured in a clash between AL and BNP in Roumari upazila.

Border Guard Bangladesh members were deployed in the area after the clash, said local UNO Abdul Hannan.

The clash ensued when AL and opposition men brought out processions and became face to face around 12:30pm, witnesses said.

Both of the party men used wooden sticks and hurled brick chips on each other during the 10-minute clash.

Police fired 12 rubber bullets to disperse the activists.

The injured were taken at Roumari Upazila Upazila Health Complex.