Quarrel Over Placing Wreaths
31 hurt as ruling party men clash in 2 dists
At least 31 people, including three policemen, were injured in clashes between rival ruling party men in Gaibandha and Rangpur districts over placing wreaths at shaheed minar on Ekushey.
In Gaibandha, Two factions-one led by lawmaker Engineer Monowar Hossain and the other by Gobindaganj Upazila chairman Principal Abul Kalam Azad--came to local shaheed minar to place wreaths one minute past midnight on Ekushey, according to our correspondent.
Witnesses said when the Monowar groups came forward to place wreaths at the shaheed minar, Azad groups prevented them, prompting a clash between the two groups.
Both sides used lethal weapons and hurled brickbats during the clash that continued for two and a half hours, leaving 23 people, including three cops, injured.
Of the injured, two BCL men--Shaheen and Laiju-- were first admitted to Gobindaganj Upazila Health Complex and later shifted to Bogra Medical College Hospital as their condition deteriorated.
The injured cops are Sub-Inspector Nizamuddin, ASI Mizanur Rahman and constable Bidhu Chakraborty. They are undergoing treatment at the upazila heath complex.
Police charged batons to disperse the clashing groups and brought the situation under control.
Eight activists of Awami League Pirgachha unit under Rangpur district were injured in a clash between two rival groups yesterday morning, reports our correspondent.
The injured included Secretary of AL Chhawla Union unit Motiar Rahman and activists Ranjit, Suman Miah, Abdur Rashid.
Witnesses said local AL leader Rezaul and his men swooped on Motiar and his supporters when they were going to local shaheed minar to place wreaths in the morning.
Both groups hurled brickbats and chased each during the clash that lasted for half an hour.
In Lalmonirhat, Criminals partially damaged a shaheed minar on the premises of Kulaghat High School in Sadar upazila on Saturday night, says a correspondent.
Local Awami League leaders blamed local Jamaat--Shibir men for this criminal act.
Jubo League and Chhatra League yesterday brought out a joint procession demanding immediate arrest of the persons involved.
Lalmonirhat Sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Raja Miah visited the spot yesterday morning. He said the local administration will take immediate action against the culprits who damaged the shaheed minar.
Our Patuakhali correspondent reported that students of Monoharkhali High School under Mirzaganj upazila could not place wreath at the shaheed minar prepared with banana plants on the school premises as two students of the same school ransacked it at around 9:00pm on Saturday.
Protesting the incident, students of the school blocked traffic on Patuakhali-Mirzaganj road for an hour from 8:00am demanding exemplary punishment to the students responsible for ransacking the shaheed minar.
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