DU Correspondent : Police dispersed leaders and activists of Gonojagoron Mancha and Muktijoddha Sangsad Santan Command when they tried to hold rallies at Shahbagh intersection in the capital on Friday.Eight leaders and activists of both groups were also detained from the spot as they obstructed the law enforcers in performing their duties. The detained leaders and activists include Dhiman, Tito, Joy, Farid Ahmed and Muktijoddha Songsad Santan Command President Mehedi Hasan Prince and its worker Parvej Alam Emon.Shahbagh Police Station Officer-in-Charge Sirajul Islam told The New Nation yesterday that they detained eight leaders and activists of the Gonojagoron Mancha and Muktijoddha Sangsad Santan Command as they tried to create an anarchic situation at Shahbagh. Imran H Sarker, spokesperson of Gonojagoron Mancha, said at least six of their activists were injured when police charged batons on them. They are receiving treatment at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) Hospital, he added.The OC said they did not allow the mancha activists to hold the rally, as they had no prior permission.However, Imran said they held all previous programmes except some special occasions at the venue without any prior permission since the inception of the mancha on February 5, 2013.The Gonojagoron Mancha organisers had planned the rally at Shahbagh intersection at 4:00pm to protest attack on its six activists in the same area by a group of youths last night.Meanwhile, Mutijuddha Sangsad Santan Command, a platform of the children of freedom fighters, also announced to hold a rally at the same venue and at the same time protesting a claim by Imran H Sarker that the command was responsible for the attack.The OC said they did not allow the mancha activists to gather at Shahbagh intersection as they did not have prior permission.He added the law enforcers also went into action to avoid possible clashes between the two organisations.Earlier, at least six activists of Gonojagoron Mancha were injured in an attack by a group of youths at Shahbagh intersection last night.Imran alleged that some activists of the Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) and Jubo League (JL) had assaulted them, as they opposed the government’s “decision to take money from Islami Bank Bangladesh Ltd” for the national anthem programme.However, Mehedi Hasan, president of the Command, said that a group of people led by Imran had attacked them that triggered a clash between the two sides.
