13 injured in BNP-police clash in Narayanganj

At least 13 people were injured in a clash between police and BNP men in Araihazar upazila of Narayanganj this afternoon.

The clash took place on Dhaka-Sylhet Highway in Panchrukhi area around 1:15pm while the BNP was holding demonstrations as part of the party's central programme, reports our Narayanganj correspondent.

Lutfar Rahman Abdu, former joint convener of Narayanganj district, said as parts of BNP's union-level march, a group of party leaders and activists started their programme from Panchrukhi Bazar this noon, but police suddenly obstructed them.

The law enforcers also charged batons on them and fired rubber bullets, leaving 10 BNP men injured.

Of the injured, local Jubo Dal leader Habib suffered injuries from rubber bullets, he said.

They were given treatment at different hospitals, the BNP leader added.

Azizul Haque, officer-in-charge of Araihazar Police Station, said the leaders and activists of BNP and its associate bodies blocked the Dhaka-Sylhet Highway this noon, causing severe traffic congestion.

Police requested the BNP men to leave the highway but they hurled brick chips on the law enforcers, said the OC, adding that police fired rubber bullets and lobbed teargas canisters in self-defense and managed to disperse the demonstrators.

Three policemen were injured following the attack by BNP men, the police official added.