A group of anti-rape protesters have been attacked during a rally in Feni, organised by leftist student groups as part of a ‘long march’ from Dhaka to Noakhali to press home a nine-point charter of demands against rape and sexual violence across Bangladesh.
The incident occurred at the Shanti Company intersection area in Feni town on Saturday.
The students were boarding a bus to Noakhali at the end of the rally when a group of students launched an attack with sticks and brickbats, according to Al Kaderi Joy, president of Samajtantrik Chhatra Front.
At least 30 protesters were hurt in the attack, said Jamshed Anwar Tapan, general secretary of Udichi Shilpigosthi, who is participating in the long march.
Some locals alleged that activists of the local Awami League, Juba League and Chhatra League units led the attacks. However, local Awami League leaders were not immediately available for comment.
Mehedi Hasan Nobel, the president of Bangladesh Chhatra Union, said that around six vehicles of the group were vandalised during the attack.
But police did not intervene and defend the protesters from the attacks, he claimed.
Feni Police OC Md Alamgir Hossain said, “We tried to fend off the attackers. The long march participants were sent to Noakhali after the incident.”
Source: bdnews24.com
