14 policemen among 65 hurt

At least 65 people including 14 policemen were injured in clashes between Jamaat-Shibir activists and the law enforcers in Satkhira, Noakhali and Khulna yesterday.
In Satkhira, seven policemen were wounded in two attacks by the Jamaat-Shibir men.
The injured cops are Kaliganj Police Station OC Ali Ahmed Masud, SIs Yasin Alam Chowdhury and Belal Hossain, constables Mahbub Sikder and Sona Miah, OC of Patkelghata Police Station Md Akteruzzaman and constable Anwar Hossain.
Kaliganj OC Ali Ahmed said constables Mahbub and Sona Miah were on duty at Fultola intersection of the Sadar upazila. Around 2:00pm, they signalled for a Satkhira-bound bus (Satkhira Ja-11-0068) to pull over.
Passengers of the bus were members of Jamaat-Shibir. As driver Abu Jafar pulled over, the Jamaat-Shibir men forcibly pushed the two lawmen inside the bus and sped away in the vehicle.
On information, a police team led by OC Ali Ahmed chased down the bus and forced it to pull over at Bharasimla intersection on Satkhira-Kaliganj road.
Fearing trouble, the Islamist party activists attacked the cops and injured OC Masud, Sub-inspectors Yasin and Belal and constables Mahbub and Sona Miah.
Police rounded up 103 Jamaat-Shibir men from the bus and recovered two rifles looted from the law enforcers.
However, bus driver Abu Jafar and some other attackers managed to flee the scene.
Incensed at the attack on police, locals set the bus afire.
In another incident, about 60 Jamaat-Shibir activists were going towards Satkhira by six vans around 4:00pm. They were carrying sticks, iron rods and locally made weapons, said Sub-inspector (SI) Amol Roy of Patkelghata Police Station.
As OC Akteruzzaman signalled for the vans to pull over in Trish Mile area on Satkhira-Khulna road, the vehicles pulled over.
But all on a sudden, the Jamaat-Shibir men swooped on the law enforcers, leaving SI Amol and a constable injured.
The wounded were first taken to a local clinic and later shifted to Satkhira Sadar Hospital.
In the afternoon, activists of Jamaat-e-Islami brought out a procession at the Circuit House intersection in Satkhira town.
Led by freedom fighters, locals obstructed the procession that triggered a clash, said witnesses.
Police lobbed around 50 teargas canisters and fired over 100 rubber bullets to disperse the Jamaat-Shibir men.
EIGHT WOUNDED IN NOAKHALI
At least eight Jamaat-Shibir activists were injured when they fought a pitched battle with police here yesterday afternoon, reports our correspondent.
In an arson attack, two ATM booths of Islami Bank and some papers of a local madrasa were set ablaze in the town.
As part of their countrywide demonstration, some Jamaat-Shibir activists brought out a protest procession around 4:30pm, according to witnesses.
As the procession reached the local mosque intersection, police obstructed the protesters.
Being halted, the Jamaat-Shibir men hurled brickbats at police, forcing the law enforcers to retaliate by firing 30 rubber bullets.
Meanwhile, activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League and Jubo League brought out a procession in the town around 5:30pm.
After parading through different streets, they set the ATM booths of Islami Bank afire and burnt the papers of Al-Madrasatud Deenia Madrasa, allegedly run by Jamaat men, near Godar mosque area.
On information, firefighters rushed to the spot and doused the flames.
Mahbubur Rashid, acting superintendent of police in Noakhali, confirmed the incident.
Maulana Abdullah, secretary general of district unit Jamaat, claimed that police arrested eight Jamaat-Shibir activists including its bullet-hit leader Tajul Islam.
FIFTY INJURED IN KHULNA
At least 50 people including seven policemen were injured when the Jamaat-Shibir men clashed with law enforcers and BCL activists in Koyra upazila yesterday.
Witnesses said several hundred Jamaat-Shibir men held a meeting in front of the Jamaat party office and brought out a procession around 5:00pm.
When police obstructed the procession in Koyra bazar, the demonstrators hurled brickbats at the law enforcers.
Police hit back charging batons on the Jamaat-Shibir activists which led to the clash, Mir Khairul Kabir, OC of Koyra Police Station, told The Daily Star.
Law enforcers fired around 100 shots and lobbed about 50 teargas canisters to disperse the agitators.
Some BCL men also swooped on the Jamaat-Shibir activists during the clash.
The injured police personnel are SI Hashem, ASIs Sohrab, Akhter and Sufian and constables Delwar, Chanchal and Rohit, mentioned OC Khairul.
Shibir activists Al Amin, Rouf and Salam received bullets.
Seven Shibir men were arrested after the incident on charge of attacking police and obstructing law enforcers in discharging their duties, said Khulna police super Abdur Rouf.
Contacted, AKM Tamiz Uddin, ameer of Khulna (south) unit Jamaat, claimed that police along with the BCL men attacked the Jamaat-Shibir members without any provocation when their leaders and activists were returning home after holding the rally.