Staff Reporter :
Police have foiled a rally organized by the BNP in Dhaka protesting the government’s decision to revoke its founder Ziaur Rahman’s gallantry title ‘Bir Uttam’.
Clashes broke out at the rally in front of the National Press Club on Saturday after police charged batons to disperse the BNP supporters and leaders.
The rally, joined by hundreds of supporters of the party and its front organizations from across the country, began around 10am.
Around 12pm, police intervened and started to clear the street in front of the press club, where the rally was being held.
At one point, a commotion started when law enforcers charged batons on the demonstrators. Clashes and running battles broke out with BNP activists hurling brickbats and stones at the police.
The clash started just after the party’s standing committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain began his speech around 12pm.
BNP senior leaders Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Amanullah Aman, Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Anee, and Nazim uddin Alam took shelter inside the press club during the chaos. Several leaders and activists were injured in the skirmish, witnesses said.
Around 50 BNP leaders and activists were arrested following the clash.
Confirming the arrest to media, Assistant Commissioner (Ramna zone) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police Sheikh M Shahmim said many of the detainees might be released after scrutiny.
“Those who are facing specific charges will be sent to court after being sued,” he said.
However, Shahbagh police said they were detained for “obstructing the official duty of police.”
Md Mamunur Rashid, officer-in-charge of Shahbagh Police Station, said, a large contingent of police personnel was deployed to avert any untoward incident over the BNP’s rally in front of the Jatiya Press Club. But, a melee began before the end of the rally. The party’s leaders and activists were holding the rally closing the road in front of the Press Club.
“The BNP leaders and activists didn’t pay any heed when police requested them to allow the movement of vehicles normal. Rather, they created a melee. Amid that melee, brick-bats were thrown at policemen from a side of the rally.
“Several policemen including me were injured in the attack. Later, police chased them for self-defence. During the chase, the BNP activists were dispersed,” the OC said.
He also said that at least 10 to 12 policemen were also injured during the incident.
Meanwhile, a policeman and at least 12 BNP activists took treatment at Dhaka Medical College and Hospital, according to sources at the hospital.
On Thursday, BNP announced a two-day programs protesting what it said was an “evil effort” to repeal the party founder and late president Ziaur Rahman’s ‘Bir Uttam’ title.
As part of the programs, the party held rallies in all the metropolitan cities, including Dhaka, on Saturday.
On Tuesday, the Jatiya Muktijoddha Council in a meeting discussed the ways to revoke the gallantry title of Ziaur Rahman for “violating” the constitution, “abetting” the self-proclaimed killers of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in escaping the country.
