UNB, Noakhali :Two people, including a local Jatiyatabadi Jubo Dal activist, were killed and 20 people were injured in firing by police during a clash at Choumuhani Bazar in Begumganj upazila on Wednesday.The deceased was identified as Rubel, 22, a local Jubo Dal man and son of Tofail Ahmed, and Moinuddin Baburchi, 22, son of Khorshed Baburchi, both hailing form Durgapur in the upazila.Witnesses said the activists of the BNP-led 20-party alliance brought out a procession in the bazaar in the afternoon in support of the countrywide transport blockade.The clash ensued when police obstructed the procession at Choumuhani level crossing around 4:30pm.At one stage of a chase and counter-chase, police fired 30-40 rounds of bullets to disperse them, leaving 22 people injured.Four of the critically injured-Rubel, rickshaw-puller Jahangir, Shahabuddin and Moinuddin-were rushed to Noakhali General Hospital where doctors declared Rubel dead while Moinuddin succumbed to her injuries while undergoing treatment. The 20-party men also set fire to three motorcycles and vandalised eight vehicles, including an ambulance, during the melee.Members of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) were deployed in the area to avoid further trouble.Meanwhile, the BNP-led combine called a daylong hartal in the district for Thursday protesting the killing of the Jubo Dal man.District BNP general secretary Harunur Rashid Azad announced the shutdown programme in the evening.
