Clashes, arrests mark hartal
YESTERDAY'S HARTAL: 1) Police remove a burning tyre that was set by hartal supporters on the railway at Chelopara in Bogra town, 2) BNP activists bring out a procession in Gaibandha town, 3) Battery-run three-wheelers become the main mode of transport in Natore town, 4) Long-route buses lie idle at Nathullabad terminal in Barisal city. PHOTO: STAR
At least 210 people were injured in clashes involving BNP activists, law enforcers and ruling party men while police detained over 138 pickets during hartal in different districts yesterday, report our correspondents. In Chittagong: At least 15 people, including five policemen, were injured in clashes between BNP activists and police in the port city. Police arrested 17 pickets in different areas of the city. Vehicles but rickshaws were off the roads, shops and educational institutions remained shut and attendance at private offices was thin. Delivery of goods from Chittagong Port was hampered while loading and unloading of goods at different jetties and outer anchorage were normal, said Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) Secretary Syed Farhad Uddin Ahmed. Sources said at least seven BNP men, including city unit President Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, were injured during a clash with police in front of BNP city office at Nasimon Bhaban at Nur Ahmad Chowdhury Road near Kazir Dewry. In Bogra: Pro-hartal activists blocked Bogra-Bonarpara rail route near Chelopara area in the district town for about one and a half hours in the morning. Khalequzzaman, officer-in-charge of Bogra Sadar Police Station, said the picketers put up barricades on the rail route by setting fire to tyres at around 9:00am. On information, police rushed to the spot, dispersed the pro-hartal activists and took control of the area at around 10:30am. In Gaibandha: BNP activists damaged at least 15 buses at Palashbari on Bogra-Rangpur highway during hartal hours yesterday, injuring at least 50 passengers. They threw brickbats at the passenger coaches coming from Dhaka and damaged the vehicles. In Rajshahi: At least 25 people, including two policemen and six journalists, were injured during clashes between BNP activists and law enforcers in the city during hartal hours. Police also picked up three pro-hartal activists from the spot. In Khulna: The daylong hartal enforced by BNP did not hamper production in mills and factories in Khulna industrial belts and cargo handling operations at Mongla port. Unloading of goods from ships at the port continued without any resistance by pro-hartal activists. Passenger buses, trucks and private cars were off the roads until 2:00pm. In Noakhali: At least 18 people were injured during a tripartite clash between BNP and Awami League activists and policemen. Police arrested former president of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal Sadar upazilla unit Ahmad Ullah Wahab on the spot. On Saturday night, police arrested 27 BNP activists in different upazilas of the district. In Barisal: Police yesterday lodged two separate cases against 150 activists of BNP and its associate bodies and arrested seven of them in connection with ransacking vehicles on Saturday. In Natore: picketers vandalised at least seven goods-laden trucks on the Natore-Pabna Highway at Banpara Bazaar in Baraigram upazila during hartal hours. In Manikganj, police arrested five leaders and activists of BNP and its associate bodies in different areas of the district. They were released in the evening. Some inter-district buses and trucks were seen plying the Dhaka-Aricha Highway during hartal hours yesterday. Paturia-Daulatdia ferry service was normal. In Mymensingh: At least 26 BNP leaders and activists were injured during daylong hartal in Mymensingh and Muktagachha yesterday. Police picked up 23 picketers--seven from the district town, 13 from Muktagachha and three from Trishal. In Naryanganj: Clashes between the BNP activists and the law enforcers left 30 people, including three journalists and five policemen, injured. Police fired 10 rounds of tear gas shells to disperse pro-hartal activists. In Kishoreganj: At least 30 pro-hartal people were arrested and 20 others, including including cops, were injured in clashes during hartal in the district yesterday. BNP activists attacked Pakundia Police Station and confined the cops to the police station for an hour. On information, additional police from Kishoreganj district headquarters rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control. Aminul Huq, officer-in-charge (OC) of the police station, Sub-Inspectors Pradip Kumar Das and Shafikul Islam, ASI Nazrul Islam, constables Joinal Uddin and Shafiqul Islam were injured as pro-hartal activists hurled brickbats at the policemen. Clashes left 20 people injured in Chapainawabganj, 10 in Dinajpur, nine in Kurigram, and five in Brahmanbaria during yesterday's hartal. Our correspondents from Faridpur, Narsingdi, Natore, Moulvibazar, Rangpur, Jamalpur, Madaripur, Pabna, Netrokona, Sirajganj, Narail Lalmonirhat reported that barring stray incidents, the daylong hartal in the district passed off peacefully.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.
Comments