An activist of Jubo Dal, BNP's youth wing, was killed and at least 50 people were injured in a clash between police and the opposition party members in Narayanganj's No 2 rail gate area Thursday.
Similar clashes broke out between the party activists and police in Netrakona, Sirajganj and Manikganj as BNP held political programmes to celebrate its 44th founding anniversary.
The deceased in Narayanganj was identified as Shaon, 21, son of Shahed Ali and an activist of Fatullah unit of Jubo Dal.
Anisur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Sadar Police Station, said the BNP activists took out a procession around 10.45am, marking the founding anniversary of the party.
When the procession reached the No-2 rail gate area around 11.30am, police stopped them, triggering a chase and counter chase.
At one stage, the protesters attacked the cops, prompting the law enforcers to fire rubber bullets.
The whole Bangabandhu road from No-2 rail gate point turned into a battlefield during the clash that left 50 people injured.
Read: 30 hurt in BNP activists-police clash in Netrokona; 13 held
Shaon received bullet injuries during the clash. He was taken to Narayanganj General Hospital, where the doctors declared him dead on arrival.
Another five Jubo Dal activists- Md Badal Bhuiyan,35, Nabir Hossain Nabin,30, Jewel Arman,40, and Md Faruq,30, were admitted to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) after suffering bullet wounds during the clash, said, Bacchu Mia in charge inspector of DMCH police outpost.
UNB Netrakona correspondent reports: at least 30 people, including 13 cops, were injured in a clash between BNP activists and police in Netrokona town.
Fakhruzzaman Jewel, Additional Superintendent of Police of the district, said vehicular movement in the district’s Chhoto Bazar area was suspended as BNP activists started to gather in front of their party office to celebrate the 44th founding anniversary of the party.
“The clash erupted when police went to normalize the traffic situation. BNP activists attacked us when we tried to free up the road. We had to use tear gas and fire blank shots to bring the situation under control,” said Jewel.
Police have so far arrested 13 BNP activists in connection with the clash.
In Sirajganj, at least 27 people including seven police were injured during a clash between police and BNP activists.
The clash broke out around 11:30 am at SB Fazlul Haque road in Sirajganj near district BNP office.
BNP activists exploded crude bombs at Nabadwip Pool area during a rally to mark the party’s 44th anniversary, said Jashim Uddin, Additional Superintendent of Sirajganj police.
As police charged baton to take control of the situation as an altercation with the BNP activists satrted, he said. Later police was forced to fire rubber bullets and tear shells to control the situation.
Seven police members were hurt during the clash, said the additional SP.
Police detained a Bangladesh Chhatra Dal activist with a sharp weapon from road before the rally started, said police.
Meanwhile, Saidur Rahman Bacchu, general secretary of district BNP claimed at least 20 of their activists were injured when police attacked them.
In Manikganj, Twenty-eight people including five police members were injured during a clash between BNP activists and police.
The incident occurred around 11 am at Khalpar area in Manikganj city when the activists were moving towardd their party office in Seota area with a procession and police obstructed them , the witnesses.
The BNP activists threw brick chips at police while cops charged baton and resorted to tear shells to disperse them.
According to police, Manikganj sadar police station’s Officer-in-Charge (OC)Abdur Rauf were among the injured. Police arrested five BNP activists after the incident, said OC Abdur Rauf.
Meanwhile, BNP leaders in a press briefing later claimed that 25 of their activists and leaders were injured during the clash.