At least 10 people including policemen and journalists were injured in a clash between BNP activists and law enforcers during picketing amid the 48-hour hartal being observed by the party and like-minded opposition parties. Locals said that BNP activists brought out a procession in favour of the hartal in Puratan Bus Stand area around 11 am and vandalised some vehicles, causing panic on the streets. Also read: 11 arson attacks reported in 15 hours: Fire Service A clash broke out when police barred the BNP men from marching forward, they said. At one stage of the altercation, the picketers hurled brickbats targeting the law enforcers who retaliated with tear gas shells, they said. Rajan Kumar Das, additional superintendent of district police, said they used tear shells and opened blank fire to control the situation. Also read: Jamaat’s registration to remain cancelled: SC dismisses party’s appeal Ten people, including three policemen, were injured in the clash, he said, adding that the situation is now under their control. Local BNP leaders could not be reached over the phone for comments in this connection. Also read: RAB arrests 4, including Sramik Dal leader, from Dhaka's Jatrabari in sabotage case

At least sixteen policemen were injured in an attack by a group of fishermen in the Meghna river on Friday evening. Bikash Chandra Dey, in charge of Hizla River Police Unit, is among the injured. They are now receiving treatment at a local hospital, said Sayed Hossain, duty officer of Hizla River Police Unit. Hizla upazila executive officer Mohammad Tarek Hawladar, said a team, including river police, conducted a drive in the Meghna river sanctuary in Hizla upazila this evening. While the law enforcers tried to lift a net in the river, the fishermen, who were engaged in netting fish, attacked them, leaving 16 cops injured, the officer said. Police had to open fire on eight rounds of bullets to bring the situation under control. Action will be taken against those involved in the attack, said Yunus Miah, officer-in-charge of Hizla Police Station.  

At least 15 people, including five policemen, were injured in a clash between two factions  of Awami League at Chandraganj Bazar in Lakshmipur Sadar upazila on Wednesday.  The clash broke out between the followers of Kazi Solaiman and Upazila Parishad Chairman Nurul Amin over the newly formed convening committee of Chandraganj Union Awami League around 7:30 pm. Police detained 12 people from both sides. Among the injured are Sub-inspector Zakir Hossain of the Detective Branch of Police, SI Abdur Rahim of Chandraganj Police Station and Constable Mozammel Hossain and Chhatra League activist Akbar Hossain. Akbar is the brother of M Masudur Rahman, general secretary of Chandraganj Thana Chhatra League. According to locals, at the time of the incident, a joy procession was taken out congratulating the newly formed committee of Chandraganj Union Awami League. At that time, the attack was led by Masudur Rahman, general secretary of Chandraganj Thana Chhatra League. The two sides clashed. Police resorted to charging with batons to stop the clash. Masud is known to be a follower of Kazi Solaiman, a former secretary of the Chandraganj Union Awami League. A tense situation was prevailing in the area. M Mahfuzjan Ashraf, Superintendent of Police of Lakshmipur, said, there has been a clash between the two groups of Awami League. When they tried to stop them, brickbats were hurled at the police. “Five policemen were injured. Later, the situation was brought under control after charging with batons. A total of 12 people from both sides of the Awami League have been detained in connection with the incident,” he said.

Two policemen of Gazipur Metropolitan Police were withdrawn from their duty on Wednesday over the death of a trader in police custody. The policemen are Mahbub and Nurul Islam, both assistant sub-inspectors (ASIs) of Bason Police Station, Gazipur Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner (Crime) Abu Torab Mohammad Shamsur Rahman told UNB. Meanwhile, a three-member probe committee headed by Additional Police Commissioner of Gazipur Metropolitan Police Md Delwar Hossain has been formed to investigate this incident, he added. Local people said a team of police from Bason Police Station arrested four people from Bhogra bypass area on January 14 on charges of gambling. Later, police released three of them except Rabiul Islam, 40, a resident of Peyara Bagan in Gazipur city. Read more: Cop withdrawn over youth’s alleged custodial death in Lalmonirhat On Tuesday night, police went to the house of Rabiul and took a signature of his wife on a white paper, they said. Soon after that, Rabiul’s wife came to know that Rabiul died in the night. Enraged by the death of Rabiul, local people, equipped with sticks, put up barricades on Dhaka-Tangail and Dhaka-Mymensingh highways on Wednesday morning, disrupting traffic movement.

Three police officers suffered bullet injuries during annual firing training at Betbunia Police Training Centre in Kawkhali upaizla of Rangamati district on Tuesday. The injured were constables Minu Ara, Ovi Barua and Sumon Kanti of Chattogram Metropolitan Police. Read more: Man suffers bullet wounds in Natore clash over removing rain water Parvez Ali, officer-in-charge of Kawkhali Police Station, said the accident occurred around 11 am when bullets fired from the gun of female constable Nargis Akter hit the three police officials as she fell on the ground due to vertigo during firing. The injured were taken to Chattogram Medical College and Hospital.  Of the injured constables, Minu is posted at Akbar Shah Police Station while Ovi and Sumon are posted at Bakolia Police Station of Chattogram city. Read more: Cop injured in blade attack at Munshiganj court

Three constables of Sylhet Metropolitan Police (SMP) have been dismissed for trying to trap a college student in a false drug case. The dismissed constables are Md Jhunu Hossain Joy, Imran Mia, and Mohammad Abdullah appointed at SMP police line, confirmed Additional Deputy Commissioner of SMP Sudip Das confirmed on Thursday On October 13, Saifur Rahman Asad, 18, son of police inspector Abu Sayed, sold his Android phone online at Tk 16,000. After receiving the money Asad went to Hazrat Shahjalal Mazar Sharif area with a friend when those police constables apprehended them. They claimed to have recovered yaba from Asad and his friend’s bag while searching. Asad protested their allegation and informed the matter to his father, who is also a police officer working at the Police headquarters. Read: Body of youth missing since being chased by cops recovered from Meghna Later, Sub Inspector Jamal Bhuiyan from Shah Paran police station took them and released them after they signed a bond. On November 24, an investigation report submitted by SMP ADC (force) Saleh Ahmed of police lines found proof of the allegations against the constables being true, said ADC Sudip Das. Departmental cases and other actions will be taken against the dismissed constables, he said.

The body of a youth was recovered from the Meghna on Sunday morning, four days after he went missing being chased by police in Daulatkhan upazila of Bhola. The deceased was identified as Noman, a worker of the upazila. Read more: Body of 7-yr-old boy found in Gazipur Police chased Noman and other people as they were allegedly gambling on November 24 at Patar Khal Machh Ghat by the river, said locals. Being chased by the police, they fell into the river and all, except Noman, could manage to swim ashore, said Zakir Hossain, officer-in-charge (OC) of Daulatkhan police station. Later, fire service and coast guard divers fished out his body from the river near the Machh Ghat this morning (Sunday), he added. A case has been filed at the police station in this regard, said the OC. Read more: Bangladeshi farmer’s body found along Feni border; BSF blamed Besides, a three-member probe committee headed by Lalmohan Circle Additional Superintendent of Police Zahurul Islam was formed to investigate the death. Meanwhile, two constables of Daulatkhan police station Md Russel and Md Sajib have been temporarily suspended and Daulatkhan police station Sub-Inspector (SI) Swarup Kanti Pal and Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Md Sohel Rana have been closed over the incident, said OC Zakir.

At least 21 people including six police officers, were injured on Tuesday in a clash between the law enforcers and BNP supporters over the protest procession brought out against the death of a Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Deal (JCD) leader in Brahmanbaria on Saturday. Police also detained 16 BNP supporters from the spot following the clash. The BNP said they brought out the procession from the house of district unit President Mahmudul Hoque Rubel around 3pm protesting the killing of JCD leader Nayon in the firing of police in Bancharampur upazila of the Brahmanbaria on Saturday , as well as the arrest of 15 BNP men from Sreebardi upazila of the district. The clash erupted when police barred the BNP men from marching toward the party office of the district in Roghunathpur area. The BNP men hurled brickbats targeting the cops protesting the barrier. Read more: Police–BNP clash in Kishoreganj: 29 including 11 cops hurt Police retaliated with tearshells and fired shots in the air to bring the situation under control, leaving 21 people including the cops injured. The district unit’s BNP President Mahmudul Hoque Rubel condemned the attack. He claimed that some 100 BNP men were injured in the attack by the cops without any provocation. Bachhir Ahmed Badal, office-in-charge of Sadar police station, rejected the BNP’s claims and said that the BNP men swooped on them without any instigation. Read more: BNP-police clash in Chandpur: Over 500 sued, 22 arrested “We detained 16 BNP men from the spot, lobbed tearshell and fired shots in the fire to bring the situation under control,” the OC said, adding that the situation was now under their control.  

Bangladesh Police Service Association (BPSA) and Bangladesh Police Association (BPA) in separate statements on Thursday protested Japanese Ambassador Ito Naoki’s comment on police’s role in the national elections.  The two associations also demanded withdrawal of the ambassador’s comment, terming it “baseless and uncalled for”.  President of BPSA, Additional IGP and Chief of Special Branch Md Monirul Islam, and its general secretary Dhaka district SP Md Asaduzzaman; President of BPA, OC of Gulshan Police Station BM Farman Ali, and its general secretary, OC of Jatrabari Police Station, Mazharul Islam signed, their respective statemenrs.  Both the statements say that the attention of BPSA and BPA has been drawn to the “baseless and unwanted” accusations raised by Japanese Ambassador Ito Naoki against the police during a question and answer session regarding the 11th National Election during a "Meet the Ambassador" event in the capital on November 14.   Read more: Myanmar situation doesn't allow full-scale Rohingya repatriation now: Japan The statements say that every member of Bangladesh Police was deeply embarrassed and shocked by his comments. Both BPSA and BPA strongly protested his statement.  In response to a question, the Japanese Ambassador had said, “I heard that (in the last election), police officers filled the ballot boxes the night before… I have not heard of such instances in any other country.”  The statements say that Bangladesh Police maintains law and order during the elections and provides security to the polling stations as per the instructions of the Election Commission. The police have no role or activity in the candidate selection process of the voters or in the voting inside the polling stations, it adds.  Read more: Japan wants "strategic" partnership with Bangladesh through practical cooperation Both BPSA and BPA separately requested to withdraw the said part of his speech. Both associations also expected a more responsible role from the Japanese ambassador while commenting on national issues.     

BNP and its associate bodies celebrated the 44th founding anniversary of the party across the country on Thursday amid sporadic clashes with police in different districts, leaving a Jubo Dal worker killed and many others injured. BNP and all other units of the party across the country also marked the day by holding various programmes, including rallies and processions. BNP leaders alleged that their peaceful programmes marking the founding anniversary were attacked by police and ruling party activists in different districts. Read: BNP vows to avenge blood of its slain workers by ousting the govt Shaon, 21, 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. The clash ensued as police obstructed a procession of the party. Similar clashes broke out between the party activists and police in Netrakona, Sirajganj and Manikganj as BNP held political programmes to celebrate the founding anniversary. On September 1, 1978, late President Ziaur Rahman founded the party with a 19-point programme to build a self-reliant Bangladesh. The party flag was hoisted atop its Nayapaltan central office and all other offices of BNP across the country at 6am. BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir together with party senior leaders placed wreaths and offered fateha at the grave of its founder Ziaur Rahman at 12pm, marking the day. They also joined a special prayer (munajat) seeking the salvation of Zia’s departed soul and the good health of party Chairperson Khaleda Zia. BNP Standing Committee members Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Mirza Abbas, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Nazrul Islam Khan, Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhur and Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku, were, among others, present. The party brought out the rally from its central office in the afternoon, marking its 44th founding anniversary. Thousands of leaders and activists of the party and its associate bodies holding banners, festoons and photos of the party's top leaders joined the rally. BNP will also arrange a discussion on Friday in observance of its founding anniversary.