Shibir man killed in Jhenidah cop firing

The members of Border Guard Bangladesh are seen vigilant at Kotchandpur Bus Stand area in Jhenaidha hours after a Shibir man was killed in a clash with police there. Photo: Star

An activist of Islami Chhatra Shibir, student wing of Jamaat-e-Islami, was killed and five including three law enforcers were injured when police, after being attacked, opened fire on the opposition men in Kotchandpur upazila of Jhenidah today, on the first day of opposition combine-enforced 72-hour blockade. 

BNP-led 18-party opposition combine announced a dawn-to-dusk hartal (shutdown) in Kotchandpur and Moheshpur upazilas for Sunday protesting the killing, reports our Jhenidah correspondent quoting Tajul Islam, secretary of Kotchandpur upazila unit Jamaat.

Of the police, Enamul Haque, a sub-inspector of Kotchandpur Police Station, sustained bomb injuries, reports our Jhenidah correspondent quoting Zahid Hossain, assistant superintendent of police (ASP) in Jhenidah.

Mokhtar Hossain, an assistant sub-inspector of the police station, and Ranju Alam, a constable, sustained wounds as opposition men hurled brick chips on them during the clash, the ASP said.

Emdadul Haque, president of Swechchhasebak Dal in the upazila, was also injured in the 30-minute clash.

The BNP-led 18-party opposition alliance enforced the blockade of rail, roads and waterways from 6:00am today to press for immediate cancellation of the polls schedule and to protest implication of senior leaders in “false cases”, hours after one blockade ended.

At least 19 people were killed and scores injured during the opposition alliance-sponsored 71-hour blockade that ended at 5:00am yesterday.

The dead victim is identified as Israfil Hossain, 25, son of Shahidul Islam of Harindia village of the upazila.

The clash ensued around 9:00am when the activists of BNP-Jamaat-e-Islami and Shibir brought out a procession near bus stand area in the upazila headquarters.

As police resisted them, the opposition men went to the bus stand and vandalised at least four microbuses which were parked there, said the ASP.

The marauding party men returned to the spot after carrying out the vandalism and attacked the law enforcers hurling five petrol bombs and brick chips, leaving a sub-inspector injured.

In a bid to self-defence, the law enforcers fired bullets from rifles to disperse them, the police official said adding that the Shibir activist sustained injuries during the incident.

Assistant Sub-Inspector Mokhtar and Constable Alam sustained brick chips wounds in the clash.

The injured SI, Enamul, is now undergoing treatment at the upazila health complex while the two other policemen took first aid.

The critically injured Shibir man was taken to Kotchandpur Upazila Health Complex immediately after a bullet hit his neck.

The duty doctor declared him dead after his arrival in the health complex, the ASP added.

The members of Border Guard Bangladesh and Rapid Action Battalion were deployed in the area following the clash, confirmed the ASP.