Staff Reporter :
At least 90 people including police personnel were injured, with three in critical condition as police tried to disperse a BNP rally in Munshiganj on Wednesday.
The critically injured persons have been identified as Jahangir Hossain, 40, Tarek, 20, and Shaon, 20. They have been admitted to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital’s emergency unit.
The clash erupted around 3:10pm yesterday through chasing and counter-chasing and ended at 4:45pm.
Groups of BNP leaders and activists started gathering in Ferryghat area of Mukrarpur in Munshiganj to join the pre-announced rally at 4:00pm .
When the gathering turned into a big procession, the police obstructed it. At that time, police fired about 50 rounds of rubber bullets and BNP leaders and activists threw brickbats at the law enforcement members.
District Intelligence Officer Abul Kalam Azad said ten policemen have been injured. Of them, the condition of the additional superintendent is critical.
Three journalists were also injured.
President of sadar thana unit of BNP Md Mohiuddin said, “When we came to the procession as per the pre-arranged schedule, the police stopped on us and tore down the banners. This enraged the leaders and workers, and there ensued a clash. We tried to calm them down, but 90 of our leaders and workers were injured.”
Besides, six motorcycles were vandalized and burnt during the hour-long clash until 4:30pm, witnesses said.
Police claimed that they, to save their lives, they opened blank fire and lobbed teargas shells.
Around 20 police personnel have been wounded in the incident, they claimed.
The situation is under control now.
Meanwhile, district Intelligence Officer Abul Kalam Azad said ten policemen were injured; of them the condition of the additional superintendent is critical. Three journalists along with many BNP activists were also injured. President of sadar thana unit of BNP Md Mohiuddin said, “When we came to the procession as per the pre-arranged programme, the police stopped us and tore down the banners. This enraged the leaders and workers and there ensued a clash. We tried to calm them down, but 50 of our leaders and workers were injured.”
Meanwhile, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir speaking at a press conference in Gulshan on Wednesday said, “The action of the police is a blatant interference with the personal liberty of the citizen, which is a clear violation of Articles 31, 32 and 43 of the constitution. Even the Code of Criminal Procedure, Police Act or any other law do not support this.”
