Staff Reporter, Kishoreganj :
At least 100 people including 20 police personnel were injured in clashes between the BNP activists and police in Pakundia of Kishoreganj district on Saturday.
The clash took place in Syedgaon intersection at around 10am.
As part of the central programme, BNP workers organised a rally at Pakundia Bazar in Patmahal area protesting the price hike of fuel and other essential commodities and the killing of three leaders in Bhola and Narayanganj.
Later, BNP leaders and activists tried to enter the upazila headquarters from Saigaon with a protest march. When police intercepted BNP activists, clashes ensued among them that lasted for two hours. A chase and counter-chase also followed for some time.
Later, police started charging batons; the BNP men retaliated by hurling brickbats. Police later fired rubber bullets and tear shell canisters to disperse the BNP men. Police also arrested 15 BNP workers in connection with the incident.
“BNP leaders and activists participated in a peaceful rally. The police attacked to foil the rally,” BNP’s Kishoreganj district general secretary Mazharul Islam told The New Nation.
When asked Kishoreganj’s additional SP ( Admin. & Finance) Mostak Sarkar said that the protesters threw bricks and stones at the policemen from the BNP programme. Several members of the police were injured. Rubber bullets and tear shells were fired to bring the situation under control. Md Al Amin Hossain, additional superintendent of police (Kishoreganj Sadar Circle) said although there was no permission for a rally, BNP men brought out processions in Pakundia municipal areas and began marching towards the main roads of the municipality around 11:00 am. When police asked them to stop, they started throwing brickbats at them, followed by chases and counter chases.
At one stage, police fired rubber bullets and tear gas canisters to bring the situation under control, said the ASP.
Besides, there were also sporadic clashes between BNP and AL men in different areas under the municipality.
Md Kamal Uddin, a local BNP leader, alleged that police attacked the BNP men without any provocation while they were holding peaceful rallies and some 100 activists were injured in the police action.
