CHITTAGONG NEWS
A series of clashes between BNP-Jamaat-e-Islami supporters and law enforcers in Chittagong yesterday left at least 100 people including police personnel and journalists injured.
During the two-hour-long clashes, which took place mainly near the BNP's city unit office at Kazir Dewry, commuters were rushing in panic for safer places as the one-kilometre area stretching from Almas Cinema to Enayetbazar and the nearby lanes, turned into a battlefield.
The opposition activists set three cars afire and vandalised around 50 vehicles, said police. Traffic was halted on different important roads including that from Tiger Pass to Wasa intersection because of the clashes.
BNP alleged that the law enforcers tried to foil their scheduled rally organised by the 18-party alliance while police claimed the clashes ensued as Jamaat-Shibir activists hurled brickbats at them.
The clash soon spread to other areas including Lalkhan Bazar, Ashkardighirpar, Mehedibagh, New Market and Chawkbazar.
Law enforcers fired a large number of rubber bullets and tear gas shells, and charged batons on the opposition activists. Police could not give any detail about the number of rubber bullets and tear gas shells they fired, but said their ammunition ran out.
Police also stormed into the BNP office, charged batons on the opposition activists and fired tear gas shells in a room where BNP leaders including its Vice-chairman Abdullah Al Noman and city unit President Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury took shelter.
The injured journalists include three photographers Moshiur Rahman Badal of Jai Jai Din, and Ujjal Dhar of Banglanews; and Tarek Mahmud, reporter Chittagong bureau.
Assistant Commissioner (AC) of Kotwali Zone Police Abdullah Al Mahmud, Officer-in-Charge (OC) Rafiqul Islam of Kotwali Police Station, an Ansar member and 17 others were injured by the brickbats thrown, said Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP) Commissioner Md Shafiqul Islam.
Over 40 protesters were detained from different areas during the clashes, police said.
The rally, organised by the 18-party alliance to protest the disappearance of BNP leader M Ilias Ali and his car driver, began at 3:00pm
According to eye witnesses and sources in the CMP, the clash ensued around 3:45pm when police intercepted two separate processions of Jamaat and BNP at Kazir Dewry intersection. The processions were heading towards the 18-party rally in front of the BNP office.
OC Rafiqul Islam said some Jamaat activists all of a sudden started throwing brickbats at police who were small in number.
Police retaliated by charging batons on the activists who also started throwing brickbats. The opposition supporters in several other processions, who were coming to the rally through different roads, also got involved in the clash.
BNP and Jamaat activists damaged windowpanes of several CNG auto-rickshaws and pick-up vans at Kazir Dewry, Ashkardighirpar, in front of Almas Cinema and Wasa intersection. The three cars were set afire in front of the BNP office, Wasa intersection and Lalkhan Bazar intersection.
More law enforcers were deployed immediately in the area and they fired rubber bullets and tear gas shells to disperse the activists.
The rally was suspended at that time and many opposition supporters took shelter there because of the police action. But police chased them into the BNP office, charged batons and also fired tear gas inside the office.
Senior BNP leaders Abdullah Al Noman, city unit General Secretary Shahdat Hossain, former lawmaker Syed Wahidul Alam and some 15 others were trapped in the room of the city unit president Amir Khasru. BNP leaders alleged that police fired three tear gas shells into that room.
Police said the violent situation in that area was brought under control around 5:30pm. However, sporadic clashes were reported in different areas until 7:00pm.
Amir Khasru condemned the police action. “This is the height of state terrorism. The country has become a police state.”
“Police from the beginning was determined to foil our combined procession which was scheduled to start at the end of the rally. So they started attacking on us without any provocation,” he claimed.
'SQ CHY'S CADRES RESPONSIBLE'
CMP Commissioner Shafiqul said over 20 police personnel were injured while condition of the injured Ansar member was critical.
Quoting field-level police officers, he said the clash was instigated by Jamaat and the cadres of BNP standing committee member Salauddin Quader Chowdhury, who is now facing a trial at the International Crimes Tribunal.
“Many cadres of Salauddin Quader joined the opposition activists from Rangunia. They were hurling brickbats at police to make the situation tense and did not pay heed to the call from senior BNP leaders to stop.”
“We are investigating the allegations,” he added.
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