Left Democratic Alliance's march towards EC foiled

Police yesterday foiled a march of Left Democratic Alliance (LDA) by charging batons on its leaders and activists when they were heading to lay siege to the office of the Election Commission in the capital's Agargaon.

At least 50 people were injured during the “police action”, the party leaders claimed.

More than 200 leaders and activists of LDA, a newly formed platform of eight left-leaning parties, began a procession after holding a brief rally in front of Jatiya Press Club around 12:00pm, calling for “establishing citizens' right to vote and ensuring democratic environment for a free and fair election”.

The law enforcers first requested them to stop their procession in front of Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh but they continued marching through Matshya Bhaban intersection, Shahbagh and Bangla Motor, said witnesses.

As the LDA procession reached Saarc Fountain intersection at Karwan Bazar, police stopped them. A barricade was put up by the law enforcers and when the leaders and activists of LDA tried to break it, police charged batons to disperse them, they said.

A photographer of this newspaper saw police beating up activists with sticks.

Communist Party of Bangladesh leaders Shah Alam, Ruhin Hossain Prince, Sajjad Jahir Chandan, Sharifuzzaman Sharif, and Chief Coordinator of Ganosamhati Andolon Zonayed Saki were among the 50 injured, said Manabendra Dev, former president of Bangladesh Chhatra Union.

Manabendra, who was present at the procession, also said eight activists were taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital. Two of them were moved to a private hospital as their condition deteriorated, he added.

Later, they called off their programme with brief speeches by Zonayed Saki who announced that they would lay siege to the EC office on October 11 to press home their demand.

Contacted, Mazharul Islam, officer-in-charge (OC) of Tejgaon Police Station, denied the allegation of charging batons.

“We put up a barricade as it was a VIP road. But the procession broke the barricade and tried to move further. We barred them and tried to send them back,” he told The Daily Star.

Meanwhile, police foiled a protest procession of the LDA in Satkhira soon after they began marching from the Press Club. Three leaders were allegedly picked up from the procession.

They are Bangladesher Samajtantrik Dal (BSD) Coordinator Nityananda Sarkar and BSD members Khagendranath Sarkar and Prashanta Kumar Roy, the LDA leaders said.

OC Mostafizur Rahman of Satkhira Sadar Police Station claimed that they were picked up on charge of involvement in anti-government activities.                  

Gono Forum President Dr Kamal Hossain, Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) President Mujahidul Islam Selim and CPB General Secretary Md Shah Alam have condemned the police attack on LDA procession in their statements.