BNP called for a dawn-to-dusk nationwide hartal for Sunday suspending its grand rally at Nayapaltan in the capital halfway following violent clashes between law enforcers and opposition activists that killed at least two people, including a police constable and injured several hundred others.
Half an hour after the start of BNP's much-talked-about grand rally at Nayapaltan, the party's leaders and workers locked into a clash with the police at Kakrail. With the passage of time, violent clashes spread around Nayapaltan, forcing BNP to abruptly call off the rally.
Also read: BNP grand rally suspended after police action
According to Dhaka Metropolitan Police, its constable Aminul Islam, 30, was killed and 102 others were injured during the clashes with the opposition protesters.
DMP Deputy Commissioner (Media) Faruk Hossain said that the injured policemen were undergoing treatment at different hospitals, including Rajarbagh Police Hospital and Dhaka Medical College Hospital. He said they were injured during clashes in Motijheel, Kakrail and Naya Paltan areas while on duty, Faruk Hossain added.
Also read: BNP men attacked police, vandalised cars in Dhaka’s Kakrail: DB says
Besides, Jubo Dal claimed its Mugda thana unit leader Shamim Molla died at Rajarbagh Police Hospital after receiving bullets at Nayapaltan during the clashes.
Jubo Dal acting general secretary Shafiqul Islam Milton said Shamim was shot by law enforcers at Nayapaltan and he was declared dead while taken to the police hospital. He claimed that Shamim’s body was there at the police hospital morgue.
Also read: One policeman killed, over 40 injured in clash with BNP-Jamaat men
BNP blamed the police for the clashes and announced the nationwide daylong hartal for Sunday, to register its protest against “police attacks” on the opposition leaders and activists and their ‘peaceful’ grand rally at Nayapaltan.
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir announced the hartal before leaving the rally stage amid clashes between law enforcers and BNP leaders and activists.
“The terrorist of the Awami League government and the police force hurled sound grenades and lobbed tear gas shells one after another to foil our peaceful grand rally. We strongly protest it and call upon people to put up a resistance against it,” he said.
Later, he announced that the daylong hartal will be observed on Sunday. BNP enforced hartal for the last time on February 2, 2020 after the Dhaka City Corporation polls.
Fakhrul also said their party standing committee will work out their next course of action as their rally was suspended. The rally began around 12:40 pm, and it was stopped around 2:15 pm.
Later, the entire area from Kakrail to Fakirapool virtually turned into a battlefield amid clashes between the BNP followers and law enforcers.
At one stage of the clashes, BNP central leaders including its Secretary General Fakhrul, left the stage and took position at the party office.
As members of the law enforcement agencies were using sound grenades and tear shells, the BNP activists retaliated with brickbats.
Chased by the police, the BNP men took position in different alleys and streets in Nayapaltan and its adjoining areas from where they were pelting brickbats, stones and other objects targeting police.
They were also seen burning papers and different objects to get relief from the tear gas shells.
The clash sporadically continued in Nyapaltan, Fakirapoll and Segun Bagicha and its adjoining area until 6pm as the ruling party activists joined hands with the law enforcers. A number of vehicles were torched and vandalized during and after the clashes.
The clash was first ensured between the supporters of the BNP and Awami League in the Kakrail area near the chief justice’s residence around 1:10pm.
Witnesss said some BNP followers chased Awami League activists while they were going to their rally venue at Gulisthan in pick-up vans and buses.
The BNP men also reportedly vandalised some vehicles and the front gate of the chief justice’s residence. As police tried to obstruct the opposition activists, they started throwing brick chips at the law enforcers. Later, police fired rubber bullets, and used sound grenades and tear gas shells to disperse them.
The BNP men also set a police box on fire in front of Kakrail Church at 1:10 pm and staged a demonstration by burning tyres at the Kakrail Mosque intersection.
At one stage, the government deployed BGB personnel to bring the situation under control.
Talking to UNB, BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi claimed that their party’s several hundred leaders and activists were injured during the clashes.
Contacted, BNP standing committee member Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan said there is nothing to be surprised about the brutal game of Awami League government played on BNP's ‘absolutely peaceful rally.
“The rally continued for hours in a perfectly disciplined and peaceful manner until all of a sudden the lobbing of tear gas shells started from the west end of the meeting. The intensity increased and violent attacks with sounds of blasts and shootings turned the whole place into a war zone,” he said.
“It is obvious that the whole strategy was pre-planned and premeditated," said the BNP leader.
He said the authorities "accorded the permission for the meeting, rather than denying it, with a motive so that they could carry on this cold blooded brutal attack to foil the legitimate peaceful demand of the opposition for the restoration of democracy and voting rights by using the pretext of attack on their Police which has been slyly crafted by the Awami League Government to nullify the legitimate demand of the people of Bangladesh."
He said the whole political scenario in Bangladesh has changed drastically in just a day.