News Desk :
At least 20 people, including a journalist, were injured in a clash between BNP activists and police at Alaipur in Natore town on Monday, reports UNB.
Witnesses said BNP leaders and activists gathered in front of their party office at Alaipur around 10 am to hold a rally as part of their central program demanding its chairperson Khaleda Zia’s release for her treatment abroad.
At one stage, police obstructed them, triggering a clash. BNP men attacked police with brick chips and a chase and a counter-chase took place, leaving 20 people wounded.
Police fired several rounds of tear gas shells to bring the situation under control, said superintendent of police Liton Kumar Saha.
After a seven-hour mass-hunger strike on Saturday, BNP announced to hold rallies across the country, including the capital, on Monday, demanding the immediate release of ‘critically’ ill Khaleda Zia for better treatment abroad.
Party Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir announced the program while concluding their hunger-strike program in front of BNP’s Naya Paltan central office. He said their party’s all units of metropolitan cities, district towns, and upazila headquarters will hold rallies.
Meanwhile, baton-wielding police on Monday clashed with BNP activists during a rally in Khulna city injuring several people, including a journalist, local BNP said.
The district BNP organised the rally in front of its office here as part of a nationwide programme to pressure the government to allow party chief Begum Khaleda Zia to travel abroad for better treatment. She is now receiving medical treatment in Dhaka’s Evercare hospital for multiple health problems.
Police used batons to try to disperse the rally after it started at 12 noon, said Shamsuzzaman Chanchal, assistant office-secretary of Khulna BNP. He said police detained some of the leaders and members of the party.
Nazrul Islam Monju, president of city BNP said the party will not be silenced by such actions of overzealous police.
Monju said local police are not even heeding the home minister who said BNP can hold such rallies.
Besides, police on Monday clashed with BNP activists during a rally in Barishal city injuring several people, including a journalist, local BNP said.
