News Desk :
As many as 5000 people have been sued in connection with the series of violent protests carried out under the banner of Hefazat-e-Islam over the past three days in Brahmanbaria town.
So far, police have arrested 14 suspects in three separate cases, all of which were filed by police with Brahmanbaria Sadar Model police station on Saturday afternoon, confirmed Brahmanbaria Superintendent of Police Anisur Rahman.
“Two cases were filed over the attacks on the police superintendent’s office and a police outpost under the Sadar Model police station. There are about 4,000-5,000 unnamed accused in the cases,” Brahmanbaria Sadar Model police station Inspector (Investigation) Md Shahjahan said.
“Another case was filed in connection to the arson attacks and vandalism of public and private offices at Brahmanbaria’s Medda area, where 1,500 unidentified persons were accused,” he added.
On Friday, a group of Hefazat-e-Islam hardliners clashed with the police during protests against Modi’s visit outside the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque in Dhaka. The clashes left a number of people, including journalists, injured.
Later, Hefazat activists attacked a police station and two government offices in Chittagong. Four people died in the ensuing clashes with the law enforcement officials.
After the mayhem in Chittagong, another man was killed during a clash between Qawmi madrasa students and police in Brahmanbaria. The protesters carried out arson attacks and vandalized the railway station and other establishments throughout the town for the next two days.
Meanwhile, Six separate cases were filed against 3,000 people over sabotage on the Dhaka-Chattogram Highway in Narayanganj during Hefazat-e-Islam’s daylong hartal on Sunday.
Siddhirganj police have filed five cases and the Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) another.
In each case, 25 to 30 accused have been named and another 400 to 500 unidentified people have been included.
Siddhirganj Police Station’s Officer-in-Charge (OC) Mashiur Rahman said five cases were
filed by RAB and police under the anti-terrorism act. Another case was filed for assaulting police and obstruction of duty.
“No accused has been arrested so far. We’re trying to identify and arrest the saboteurs, Mashiur said.
The Kanchpur-Signboard stretch of the Dhaka-Chattogram Highway in Narayanganj Sadar Upazila was occupied by hartal supporters who torched vehicles and fought running battles with BGB and police personnel.
More than 50 people, including policemen, were injured.
At least 10 journalists were injured in attacks by hartal supporters and cars of two private TV channels were vandalised.
OC Mashiur said that 18 vehicles, including trucks, buses and covered vans, were vandalised and set afire during the strike. To control the situation, the law enforcement agencies fired nearly 4,000 rounds of rubber bullets and 150 tear gas shells.
