Khagrachhari
Stray clashes with cops on 2nd day of protest
The 21-hour road blockade programme in eight upazilas of Khagrachhari district ended yesterday amid stray incidents of clashes between police and pickets.
Democratic Youth Forum (DYF), a front organisation of United People's Democratic Front, enforced the road blockade programme immediately after police foiled its bid to besiege the head office of CHT Land Dispute Resolution Commission in Khagrachhari town on Sunday.
DYF tried to lay a siege to the office to press its demands for cancelling the hearing process of the land commission, withdrawal of commission's Chairman Justice (retd) Khademul Islam and amendments to CHT Land Dispute Resolution Commission Act-2001.
Yesterday, the activists of DYF clashed with police at Swanirbar Bazar and in Narayankhaiya area of Khagrachhari town. Three cops were injured as pickets hurled brick chips at law enforcers during chase and counter chase at Swanirbar Bazar.
Acting Police Superintendent Abdus Salam said police fired rubber bullets and two tear gas shells to disperse the pickets. Additional police and Rab members have been deployed at different points of the district town to avert any further untoward incident, he added.
At least eight people were injured as pickets clashed with police at different places of hill district yesterday, reports UNB.
In a press release, Nikolas Chakma, office secretary of Democratic Youth Forum, condemned police action on their party activists.
He urged the government to stop hearing on land disputes until amendments to the Land Dispute Resolution Commission Act-2001 are met.
He further said the hill people will launch a tougher agitation programme if their demands are not met immediately.
Vehicles stayed off the roads in the town and all upazilas of the district during the blockade programme.
Despite agitation, the commission on Sunday continued hearing on land disputes at its head office in the town for an hour from 11:30am.
According to government lawyer advocate Ashutosh Chakma, the next hearing on 32 land dispute cases will be held on July 23.
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