At least 12 people have been held by the police after 20 were injured in a clash Monday when an angry mob tried to break into Chitalmari police station in Bagerhat demanding punishment for a college student who allegedly insulted the Prophet (PBUH). According to Superintendent (SP) of Bagerhat police KM Ariful haque, a facebook post insulting Islam and the Prophet (PBUH) was shared a few days ago from the FB ID of Ronit Bala Rony, a Grade-XI student at the local Sher-e-Bangla College. The police held the girl after noticing the post on the night of June 12. On Monday noon, a few hundred people gathered outside the Chitalmari police station and started to protest demanding proper punishment for the girl. At one point, they attacked the police station and vandalized it along with vehicles parked outside. “The situation turned extreme when the protesters tried to enter the police station. Police members had to fire 24 rounds of empty bullets to bring the situation under control. 20 people, including 12 police personnel, got injured during this time,” said Ariful.   “The police have so far arrested 12 people in this connection. Currently, they are being quizzed inside the police station. Process to lodge a case by the police is also underway,” added Ariful. Also Read: Prophet remarks: Police halt Islami Andolan’s march towards Indian High Commission Ariful mentioned that the college student claimed that she didn’t post the derogatory status. Rather, someone else opened a fake account with her name and posted it to spoil her. “Police are investigating the claim,” Ariful added. Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) of Chitalmari Syeda Faizunnesa said that she rushed to the police station after learning about the attack. “There, they threw brickbats at me and vandalized my car,” Faizunnesa said. Marufa Nasrin, a doctor at the Chitalmari Upazila Health Complex, said that a total of eight people of different age groups have received first-aid from the hospital. Extra police personnel have been deployed at the police station to prevent any untoward incident. END/UNB/COrr/AB/ssk 1840hrs   

India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday sacked two of its spokespersons over their recent controversial remarks against Prophet Muhammad that triggered a major diplomatic row with the Gulf states. Announcing the suspension of BJP national spokesperson Nupur Sharma from her post and expulsion of its Delhi media cell head, Naveen Kumar Jindal, the party said that it “respects all religions”. “The BJP does not promote such persons or philosophy… it (the BJP) strongly denounces the insult of any religious personalities of any religion,” the party said in a statement. Also read: AL, BJP discuss improvement of relations between them In fact, the BJP swung into firefighting mode after two of the Gulf states -- Qatar and Kuwait, with which India shares close ties -- summoned the Indian envoys in their respective countries to lodge their "strong protest" over their controversial remarks. Qatar's Foreign Ministry made it clear to Indian Ambassador Deepak Mittal that it was "expecting a public apology and immediate condemnation of these remarks from the Government of India". "Allowing such Islamophobic remarks to continue without punishment, constitutes a grave danger to the protection of human rights and may lead to further prejudice and marginalization, which will create a cycle of violence and hate," the Gulf state said. Kuwait's Foreign Ministry too demanded a "public apology (from the BJP) for these hostile statements". India's main opposition Congress party, however, lashed out at the BJP over the fiasco and questioned if the ruling outfit was on a course correction mode. Also read: Riding on 'Brand Modi', BJP wins big in India state elections "The placatory expulsion of two key members and spokespersons of the BJP from its primary membership, done obviously under duress of threats from external powers, exposes the much touted ‘muscular posturing’ and positioning of the BJP and the Modi Government. Is the BJP sincere in course correcting?" the Congress said in a statement.

The holy Shab-e-Meraj will be observed in the country tonight (Thursday night) with due religious fervour.

Bhola, Oct 20 (UNB) – Four people were killed and about 200 others were injured on Sunday in a clash between police and demonstrating locals in Borhanuddin upazila, demanding punishment of a youth for allegedly hurting religious sentiments on Facebook.