Clash With Hefajat
AL man killed at madrasa
Nirmul Committee rally attacked at Mohakhali
A local Awami League leader was beaten and hacked to death in Bhanga upazila of Faridpur and a makeshift podium of hartal supporters was vandalised in the capital's Mohakhali by some activists of Hefajat-e Islam during the countrywide hartal and blockade yesterday.
At least 60 people, including a policeman, were injured in clashes between the Hefajat men and pro-hartal activists across the country.
The dead man is Nausher Khan, 42, president of Nasirabad union unit AL in Bhanga.
Twenty-three pro-liberation organisations enforced the shutdown and Gonojagoron Mancha the blockade to resist the Dhaka long march of the radical Islamist group Hefajat-e Islam.
Due to the hartal and blockade, transport workers suspended services on most roads and waterways. Bangladesh Railway cancelled several train movements on different routes, forcing thousands of Hefajat activists to march to the capital on foot from different entry points (Jatrabari, Tongi and Gabtoli).
In Faridpur, clashes ensued between pro-hartal AL activists and Hefajat men near Bhanga Municipality around 8:45am when the AL members tried to resist the long marchers from moving towards the capital in about 300 Nosimons (three-wheeler auto-rickshaws), reports our correspondent.
Witnesses said the two groups fought pitched battles with sticks and brickbats, leaving at least 50 people injured.
Around 11:00am, AL leader Nausher Khan took shelter at a nearby madrasa in Madani Nagar where some Hefajat activists beat him up and hacked him with sharp weapons.
He later succumbed to his injuries at Bhanga Upazila Health Complex.
Police fired six blank shots and several tear gas shells to quell the disturbances and rounded up four people from the spot.
In the capital, Motijheel-bound Hefajat activists from Tongi hurled brickbats, shoes and water bottles at a rally of Ekattorer Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee under Mohakhali Flyover around 9:30am, leaving Sub-inspector Imdad Hossain of Banani Police Station and at least four others injured.
The attackers, said witnesses, vandalised the makeshift podium and plastic chairs there.
As the Hefajat men tried to hit Shariar Kabir, acting president of Ekattorer Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee, and its vice-president Muntasir Mamun with bamboo sticks, pro-hartal men moved the two to a safe place nearby.
Though police remained inactive during the attack, they later brought the situation under control in around half an hour.
Talking to newsmen, Shariar Kabir complained that Hefajat men in collaboration with Jamaat-Shibir activists carried out the attack on the rally and vandalised the podium.
People's security is at stake as the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami have been instigating Hefajat-e Islam. Besides, the Jatiya Party also has joined the programme of the radical Islamist group, he added.
The situation was tense in Gabtoli around 8:00am when two homemade bombs went off near a procession of around 300 Hefajat men.
The bombs exploded after supporters of local AL lawmaker Aslamul Haque obstructed the procession as it headed for Motijheel, according to witnesses.
Following the blast, the Hefajat supporters sat there. Police fired two blank shots to control the situation.
A little later, Aslamul reached the spot and urged the Hefajat men to go peacefully.
Our Narayanganj correspondent adds: Five people were injured in a clash between activists of the Hefajat and Jubo League and Sramik League at Bhulta of Rupganj around 8:45am.
NEW PROGRAMME
Leaders of the 23 organisations at a press conference at the Teacher-Student Centre of Dhaka University yesterday urged all progressive and pro-liberation forces across the country to form committees against militancy and fundamentalism at divisional, city, district, upazila and union levels on April 7-13 to create awareness among people about the anti-liberation forces.
They declared that a rally against militancy and fundamentalism would be held in the capital on May 3.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.
Comments