200 hurt in AL-BNP clashes

At least 200 people, mostly BNP activists, were injured in clashes with the ruling Awami League activists and policemen in different districts yesterday.

Besides, four policemen were injured in two districts.

In Tangail, police arrested at least 13 BNP men.

The clashes happened as both parties held programmes across the country.

BNP's pre-scheduled programme was to march in every union parishad to press home its 10-point demand, including the next national election under a caretaker government.

The AL also held "peace rallies" at the unions.

In Natore town, at least 20 BNP men were injured in a clash with ruling AL men in Pirganj Bazar area.

BNP activists were gathering there around noon when AL men tried to drive them away which triggered that left 20 BNP men injured.

Local AL leaders, however, said the BNP men attacked them first.

But police said no clash took place in the area.

Two clashes between the parties were also reported in Naldanga upazila where at least 10 BNP men were injured.

In Jamalpur, witnesses said BNP supporters were preparing to start marching at Kamal Khan Bazar around 1:00pm when police went there and asked them to leave.

As a clash ensued, a group of local AL men joined the assault.

Locals said at least 28 people, including a policeman, were injured.

Police fired 34 rubber bullets and four teargas shells to calm the situation, said Kazi Shanawaz, officer-in-charge of Jamalpur Sadar Police Station.

Police arrested six BNP men from the scene, the OC added.

In Araihazar, Narayanganj, at least 13 people, including three policemen, were injured in a clash between police and the opposition party.

Lutfar Rahman Abdu, former joint convener of Narayanganj BNP, said the activists were marching on Dhaka-Sylhet Highway around 1:15pm when police suddenly attacked them and used firearms, leaving 10 injured.

OC Azizul Haque of Araihazar Police Station said the BNP activists threw brick chips at policemen who were trying to clear the road. The police retaliated with rubber bullets and teargas shells.

Three policemen were injured, he added.

In Bogura's Adamdighi and Sonatala upazilas, opposition activists said police foiled their programmes. However, the latter refuted the allegation.

In Sirajganj town, at least 10 people were injured and five motorcycles were set on fire during a clash between AL and BNP men in the Paikpara area.

In Hatibandha upazila of Lalmonirhat, at least six BNP men were injured in an attack by AL activists, locals said. However, the AL refuted it.

Police said no clash happened.

In Naogaon, at least five BNP men were injured in an attack allegedly by the AL men in Tilokpur area.

However, AL leaders said the BNP activists had beaten up Chhatra League activists.

In Noakhali, BNP leaders alleged that over 50 activists were injured in six incidents of attack by the AL men.

But AL leaders said the clash happened between two groups of BNP activists.

In Bhola, BNP leaders alleged that over 50 of them were injured in eight separate incidents of attack in three upazilas. The AL refuted the allegations.

In Hnila Union of Teknaf, Cox's Bazar, at least 15 people were injured and an AL leader's car was vandalised during a clash.

Leaders of both parties blamed each other.

Police said additional law enforcement personnel were deployed to avoid further violence.

In Sreepur upazila of Gazipur, the BNP said attacks by the AL left nine of their activists injured. But AL leaders said they were the ones who got attacked by firearms-wielding BNP men.

A photo in which a man brandishing a firearm from a BNP procession went viral on social media.

[Our correspondents from the districts contributed to the story.]