At least 25 people, including three minors, were injured on Thursday when Police lobbed dozens of tear gas shells, fired robber bullets and sprayed hot water on the activists of the half-day hartal called by the National Committee to Protect Oil, Gas, Mineral Resources, Power and Ports (NCPOGMRPP) , which has been demanding cancellation of Rampal Power Plant project near the Sundarbans.
The incident took place in front of the Fine Arts Faculty of Dhaka University and Shahbagh intersection in the city. Police picked up also five hartal supporters identified as Topu, Ziaur Jewel, Mizanur Rahman, Mahtab Uddin Ahmad and Rockey.
Meanwhile, Assistant Sup-Inspector (ASI) Ershad Mondal already has already been suspended from service on charge of beating the journalists when they were doing their professional duty. Twelve more cops may face music for the same reason after investigation.
Earlier, Ershad assaulted ATN News Correspondent Kazi Ehsan Dider and its Cameraperson Abdul Alim physically at Shahbagh area.
Another journalist, Morshed Jahan Mithun, a Sub-Editor of English daily Dhaka Tribune, claimed to have been assaulted by DMP Assistant Commissioner Mahbub at Mirpur 10.
When contacted, Maruf Hossain Sarder, Deputy Commissioner (Ramna Division) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, told The New Nation that ASI Ershad was suspended for assaulting two journalists.
The police administration found involvement of 12 other police men in connection with the incident, the police official said. “We have identified about 13 cops after examining video footages of the incident and suspended one of them on charge of torturing journalists, the DC said.
“Action will be taken against them after investigation their roles,” he said. A three-member probe committee headed by DMP ADC Nabid Kamal has been formed to investigate the incident of assaulting the journalists.
The body has been asked to submit its report within next two working days, said Maruf. Preparation is underway to lodge a complaint while the report was filing on Thursday night, he said. Shahbagh Police Station Officer-in Charge (OC) Abu Bakar Siddique said, “Police stopped the protestors as they tried to approach the Shahbagh intersection. We put up a barricade in front of the police station as there are some key establishments at Shahbagh, including two hospitals,” the OC said. Witnesses said, the activists of the Progressive Students Front brought out a procession in front of the TSC of Dhaka University around 6:30 am and tried to march towards Shahbagh intersection in support of hartal. But when the procession reached in front of the National Museum, police intercepted them, leading to a scuffle. At one stage, police fired robber bullets, lobbed tear gas shells and sprayed water cannons to disperse them. The progressive Students Front leaders claimed that 25 people, including Lucky Akter, President of Chhatra Union and Umme Habiba Benazir, President of DU Chhatra Union and three minor boys, were injured in the police action. A protest rally will be held on January 28.
A student of Kabi Jasim Uddin Hall, said, “The march from near the TSC on the campus around 6:30am was stopped by the police in front the Dhaka University Central Mosque when it was approaching toward the Shahbagh intersection. Half an hour later, the protestors once again started to approach to Shahbagh, one of the busiest traffic junctions in the capital, when police lobbed tear-gas canisters.”
“My wife and three children were inside the Fine Arts Faculty premises. The gas has made my children sick,” Mohammad Solaiman, a staff of the DU, told The New Nation on Thursday morning. “Police have lobbed teargas shells and fired rubber bullets several times since morning,” said Iqbal Kabir, the coordinator of an alliance of the student bodies.
“We requested the police not to do anything, for which students and teachers have to suffer,” said DU Acting Proctor Professor Amjad Ali.
The NCPOGMRPP has decided to take to the streets across the nation on February 25 to demonstrate against the coal-based Rampal power plant and other threats to the Sundarbans. In addition, a mass rally will be held in Khulna on March 11. Member-secretary of the committee professor Anu Mohammad announced the new action programmes while addressing a rally in front of Jatiya Press Club on Thursday during the eight-hour hartal.
