News Desk :
A BNP rally protesting the hike in prices of essential commodities and fuel oil came under the attack in Magura on Saturday. BNP blamed Chhatra League for the incident, but the leaders of Chhatra League rejected the accusation.
As part of the central programme, a rally was schuduled to be held at the BNP office in the city at around 3:30 pm.
The BNP office was bombed when District BNP Joint Convener Manowar Hossain Khan was giving a speech. Then the rally was attacked, the party office was vandalized and five motorcycles and two easy bikes were torched, allegded the BNP activists workers.
Meanwhile, the BNP workers from Bhayana area of the city also joined the rally and took a face-to-face position, and the Dhaka-Khulna highway became a battlefield around the BNP office. After an hour of vandalism and chase and counter-chase, the police reached the spot and brought the situation under control.
One Sub-Inspector of police, two constables and three Chhatra League workers named Ivan, Antar and Amin and nine Chhatra Dal workers were reportedly injured due to brickbat pelting by both sides.
Hamidul Islam, General Secretary of District Chhatra League, said that there was a program on the occasion of Bangabandhu’s death anniversary in the 1st and 2nd ward of the municipal area. At the end of that event, a bomb was thrown at us from the BNP office as we entered the city. In view of which our workers also protested. We have nothing to do with the attack, vandalism or arson of the BNP office.
Meanwhile, BNP and Central Committee Vice-Chairman Advocate Nitai Roy Chowdhury termed the attack on a peaceful party rally as bankruptcy of Awami League. He said that BNP’s scheduled protest rally was organized in Itkhola area. But as there was no permission, the rally was going on at the party office subject to the permission of the police. But the Jubo League and Chhatra League workers bombed the peaceful gathering in the presence of the police. This is an example of a fascist government.
Magura Additional Superintendent of Police Mohammad Kalimullah said that Chhatra League and Chhatra Dal workers took a stand against the procession. On receiving the information, the police reached the spot and brought the situation under control. He also said that three members of the police were injured.
Meanwhile, at least 15 people, including police, were injured in a clash between BNP and Awami League activists at Sonaimuri upazila of Noakhali on Saturday. A cocktail was also blasted in the clash.
