BNP Road March: Over 100 hurt in clashes with police, AL men

Over 100 leaders and activists of the BNP were held during the party's nationwide road march programme yesterday.

At least 100 more people, including six policemen, were injured when police and the ruling party men attacked them.

In Natore, six crude bombs exploded near the BNP's party office.

"Jubo League and Chhatra League men hurled the bombs from motorcycles to scare our men," said Zillur Rahman Khan Chowdhury, general secretary of Natore city unit BNP.

Contacted, Farhad Bin Aziz, president of the district unit BCL, refuted the allegation and said the BNP men were behind the blasts.

Fifty-nine leaders and activists of the BNP were held in this connection, said police.

In Jhalakathi, some 60 BNP activists and six policemen were injured in a clash between police and the party men.

The clash broke out when police intercepted the BNP's march on Amtala road in the town.

"Police attacked our peaceful programme without any provocation," said Sahadat Hossain, member secretary of the district unit BNP.

Nasir Uddin Sarkar, officer-in-charge (OC) of Jhalakathi Sadar Police Station, however, said the BNP men attacked them first.

Police charged baton to disperse the procession and detained 16 BNP activists, he added.

In Patuakhali, at least six BNP activists were injured when they clashed with police in the town.

Police charged baton on the BNP activists as soon as they started the road march, said Snehanshu Sarker Kutti, member secretary of the district unit BNP.

Contacted, Moniruzzaman, OC of Patuakhali Sadar Police Station, said they only freed the road when the BNP men blocked it illegally.

In Bagerhat, police foiled the BNP's programme and picked up some 30 party activists, said Obaidul Islam, education affairs secretary of the BNP's central committee.

Shahadat Hossain, additional superintendent (Sadar circle) of Bagerhat police, said both the Awami League and the BNP had programmes at the same time.

"We requested the BNP to hold their programme later but they did not comply. Thus, we detained their 30 men," he said.

In Netrakona, 23 BNP men were injured as the ruling party men swooped on them when they were gathering for the road march.

Motorcycles and microbuses were vandalised and set ablaze during the clash.

Police fired two bullets to bring the situation under control and detained five BNP activists.

The ruling party men attacked the BNP activists in Kurpar area when the latter were gathering for their procession, said Rafiqul Islam Hilali, member secretary of the district BNP.

At that time, several crude bombs exploded, and banners and festoons were snatched from the BNP men, he added.

Refuting the allegation, Shamchur Rahman, general secretary of the district unit AL, said the vandalism could be a result of the BNP's factional conflict.

Khandaker Shaker Ahmed, OC of Netrokona Model Police Station, said the held two BNP men as the party activists tried to create chaos in several places.

In Gazipur, the BNP activists had to cut short their programme when police obstructed them.

Meanwhile, chase and counter-chase took place between the BNP and the ruling party men in Nilphamari. The parties blamed each other for the chaos.

Police eventually intervened and brought the situation under control, said Abdur Rauf, OC of Nilphamari Police Station.

[Our Bagerhat, Pirojpur and Pathuakhali correspondents contributed to this report]