Hefajat men attack BCL in Ctg, 14 hurt
7 bullet hurt
At least 14 people including four policemen were injured as the activists of Hefajat-e Islam swooped on the Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) men in Chittagong city during the countrywide ongoing shutdown on Monday.
Of the injured, five Hefajat men and two BCL activists sustained bullet wounds, reported our Chittagong correspondent quoting witnesses.
Mostaque Ahmed, additional deputy commissioner of Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP-South); Mirza Saiem Mahmud, assistant commissioner of Kotwali zone of CMP; and two constables sustained injuries during the clash that continued for nearly 45 minutes.
The clash erupted around 10:40am when nearly 500 activists of radical Islamist organisation attacked an anti-hartal procession of BCL, student wing of ruling Awami League, witnesses said.
Nearly 100 BCL men brought out a procession at Lalkhan Bazar in the port city and started to march towards Wasa intersection.
When the procession came at MM Ali Road in Lalkhan Bazar, the activists of radical Islamist organisation who were demonstrating since the beginning of their shutdown in the area attacked the BCL men with brick chips and sticks, prompting the clash, the witnesses added.
On information, police rushed to the spot and fired al least 30 rubber bullets and teargas shells to bring the situation under control.
Five injured Hefajat men were undergoing treatment at National Hospital in the port city while two BCL men at Chittagong Medical College and Hospital.
The two top police officials went back to their work after receiving first aid and the two constables were sent to a hospital for treatment.