Staff Reporter :
While observing the 44th founding anniversary across the country and in the capital amid a sea of party workers and supporters cordoned by law enforcers, BNP lost one of its young Juba Dal workers in police firing in Narayanganj on Thursday. Several hundred workers were also injured.
Condemning such ‘dastardly’ attacks and killing of party worker, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) top-notch leaders blamed the government and the state machinery along with Awami League workers for not giving them political space to practice their democratic rights.
Meanwhile, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakrul Islam Alamgir while addressing the founding anniversary in front of the Nayapaltan party headquarters called upon the party activists and leaders to get ready to take revenge of the bloods sacrificed by the party men through united movement of the people from all walks of life.
On the contrary, the government said that BNP has been creating anarchy and mayhem in the streets in the name of programmes, which compelled the police to charge batons to bring normalcy.
In the same tune with the government, police said that BNP workers created anarchy in the streets and held rallies without prior permissions and locked into clashes with them.
In the recent days, BNP has been facing serious resistances by the ruling party Awami League when BNP tries to hold any programme to protest the price hike of essentials, and government’s mismanagement, what they say.
Recently two Juba Dal leaders in Bhola in the first week of August were killed in police firing when they protested against the recurrent load shedding and mismanagement in the power sector.
In addition to losing party workers, BNP leaders and workers have been charged with different cases across the country.
Meanwhile, during the observance of the BNP’s 44th anniversary across the country, BNP workers came under attacks in Narayanganj, Netrokona, Manikganj, Sirajganj and Dhaka districts by the ruling party men backed by the police.
In Narayanganj, a Jubo Dal activist was killed and 20 others were injured in a clash between police and the BNP workers on Thursday. The deceased was identified as Shaon, 20.
Police said BNP workers brought out a procession around 11am to mark its founding anniversary without any prior permission. When the procession reached Rail Gate area, police stopped, which trigged a clash.
At one stage, the law enforcers fired rubber bullets when the protesters attacked the police, Anisur Rahman, Officer-in-Charge of Sadar Police Station said.
The Juba Dal worker Shaon and five others received rubber bullets, leaving Shaon seriously wounded and he was rushed to the Narayanganj General Hospital, where doctors declared him dead.
The other injured were Md Farooq, 30, Nabir Hossain Navin, 30, Md Russell Pradhan, 30, Md Badal Bhuiyan, 35, and Jewel Arman, 40. They were referred to Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
“Juba Dal was trying to create anarchy on the road in the name of party anniversary. They did not take any prior permission for it” Narayanganj Superintendent of Police Golam Mostafa said.
He also claimed that some 12 law enforcers were also injured during the clash.
In Netrkona, some 35 people including policemen were injured in a clash between police and BNP workers.
The incident took place in front of BNP office in the district town when a procession was brought out to observe BNP’s founding anniversary.
Police charged baton when the law enforcers asked them to free the roads as a long tailback created due to their programme. At one stage, a clash erupted between them and left about 35 including police injured.
Local BNP alleged that police have prevented their peaceful rally while police denied the allegation.
At least 30 people including three policemen and two journalists were injured as BNP men clashed with police in Manikganj. Police detained 12 BNP men.
In Manikganj, around 25 BNP workers were injured in a clash in Khalpar area between police and the BNP men on Thursday. Police lobbed tear shells to quell the situation and detained five of its activists.
The incident took place when police intercepted the BNP men who were heading towards its local party office to attend Doa Mahfil and discussion meeting marking its founding anniversary.
Police said they resorted to charge batons when BNP activists hurled brickbats on them.
Officer-in-Charge Abdur Rouf, constables Sakhawat Hossain and Md Shahin and Independent Television correspondent RS Manjur Rahman and Banglanews24.com correspondent Sajedur Rahman were injured during the clash.
General Secretary of District unit BNP SA Jinnah Kabir said three out of the 25 injured are in critical condition.
In Sirajganj, some 25 BNP workers were injured in police firing in the Municipality area in a fierce clash with police. Party sources said two of their bullet wounded workers were transferred to Dhaka for treatment.
Meanwhile, Mirza Fakhrul urged party men to get ready to topple the government through united movement.
“Get ready to free Khaleda Zia and to realise our demand for new parliament and free elections. Let us defeat this government through united movement of the people to take revenge of the bloods of our brothers. Let it be our goal from today.”
“If we want to take revenge of the killings of Shaon, Nur and Rahim, we will have to be united. We have to establish a government of the people by toppling Awami League,” he asserted.
“I would tell the whole country and the government that BNP is now the largest party, which was established by Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman. BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia who is now fighting for democracy has flourished the party,” he added.
He also alleged that the ‘fascist’ government has robbed the human rights of the people through killing, enforced disappearance and persecution.
Fakhrul said that BNP will force the government to step down and to hand over power to a neutral government to establish a true democratic government.
On the occasion of the day, a rally of thousands of leaders and workers paraded the streets from party headquarters to the Jatiya Press Club by holding colorful banners, festoons and placards.
