BNP leaders and activists locked into a clash with police over holding a rally in the district town on Wednesday, leaving an unspecified number of people, including four law enforcers, injured.

One of the injured, Shah Rajib Ahmed Ringan, Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) district unit organising secretary, was sent to Dhaka in a critical condition.

Witnesses said police prevented BNP leaders and activists from setting up a stage for their scheduled rally and blocked the road in front of the house of central BNP leader GK Gaus in Shaistanagar area of the city since morning.

As the leaders and activists of the party and associate bodies gathered in the district town and tried to go to the rally venue, police obstructed them, triggering a clash.

The BNP activists threw brick chips towards police forcing them to charge batons, lobbed teargas shells and fired several rounds of bullets, to bring the situation under control.

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At one stage, police were forced to retreat for some time in the face of strong resistance by a huge number of BNP leaders and activists.

Later, a huge number of law enforcers took position around the rally venue and chased the BNP flowers.

Amid a chase and counter-chase, senior BNP leaders, including standing committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, chairperson’s adviser Zainul Abedin Farroque and organizing secretary Skahwat Hossain Jibon addressed the rally.

Talking to UNB, BNP leader GK Gaus said police attacked their peaceful rally in a bid to foil it. “We condemn such an undemocratic and heinous attitude of the law enforcers.”

He said a good number of their leaders and activists were injured in the attack.

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Officer-in-charge of Habiganj Model Police Station Masuk Ali said they arrested seven BNP activists from the spot.

He said four police personnel were injured in the attack and received treatment at Habiganj Sadar Hospital.