Transport workers, police clash in Thakurgaon
Agitating transport workers and police locked in an hour-long clash at Thakurgaon old bus stand yesterday afternoon.
The clash was a sequel to Sunday's assault on a bus driver by law enforcers at Matherganj under Sadar upazila.
During yesterday's clash, police fired three tear gas shells to disperse the transport workers.
Transport workers on Sunday began an indefinite bus strike on Thakurgaon-Ranishankoil, Thakurgaon-Baluiadangi and Thakurgaon-Ruhia roads protesting assault on a bus driver by police on Thakurgaon-Pirganj road earlier on the day.
Police said deputy commissioner (DC) Mohammad Shahiduzzaman and police superintendent (SP) Md Shah Alam were going to Mohammadpur union in Sadar upazila to see the union parishad election in the morning.
When the DC's car reached Motherganj on Thakurgaon-Pirganj road at around 10:45am, it narrowly escaped head-on collision with a passenger bus coming from Pirganj.
Law enforcers, who were going to the union along with the DC and SP, stopped the bus and beat up its driver Ramzan Ali triggering an indefinite transport strike in the district.
Witnesses said, at about 1:30pm yesterday a battalion of police came to the old bus stand area and asked the striking transport workers not to stop vehicles.
At one stage, police and transport workers engaged in clash triggering chase and counter chase and exchange of brick-bats.
Police fired tear gas shells but failed to disperse the agitating transport workers. Later they returned to barracks.
After the incident, the transport workers barricaded Panchagarh-Dinajpur highway at old bus stand and Thakurgaon station road at Art Gallery intersection areas.
The roadblock was continuing till filing of this report at 5:00pm yesterday.
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