Traders clash with cops injuring 15 in Barisal

Traders attempted to bar a team of Barisal City Corporation from conducting a drive to evict them from BSCIC Road yesterday triggering a clash that left at least 15 persons, including eight policemen, said locals, BCC and police.

The demonstrators set fire and put logs on the road during the one-hour clash, said locals.

In the drive, around 100 shops were, however, bulldozed, said witnesses.

About 126 shops were established beside the road by grabbing the land of the city corporation, said BCC Executive Engineer Md Motaleb.

“One week ago, we announced… asking the grabbers to remove their structures, but to no avail,” he added.

BCC Executive Magistrate Imtiaz Ahamed Jewel, who led the drive, said as soon as they had started the drive the trades began throwing brickbats at the team.

Following the attack, the law enforcers, who assisted the drive, charged them with batons and fired over 143 rounds of rubber bullets dispersing them, said Habibur Rahaman, deputy police commissioner (north) of Barisal Metropolitan Police.

Later, the team restarted the eviction drive, BCC sources said.

Police detained four persons on the spot, said the BMP official.

Masud Ahamed, a trader on the road, said they did not get any written notice to vacate the place.

When asked about the attack, he said he did not know who threw the brickbats.