Hefazat-e-Islam
20 injured as BNP, cops clash in Chattogram
At least 20 people, including policemen, were injured in a clash between BNP activists and law enforcers at Kazir Deuri area of Chattogram city on Monday.
The clash broke out around 4pm and lasted for an hour.
BNP activists torched several vehicles near Nasiman Bhaban. Police fired several shots to control the situation.
Mohila Dal President Monowara Begum, BNP leader Akhi Sultana and 13 others were detained from the spot.
Also read: Hartal: 30 hurt during clash with cops in Narayanganj
BNP Office Secretary Idris Ali said BNP activists were preparing for a peaceful rally and accused police of obstructing them and firing at them as they tried to reach BNP office.
Fifteen BNP activists were injured in the firing and 50 others were wounded during police action, he claimed.
Communication on Chattogram-Khagrachhari road resumes after 3 days
Vehicular movement on Chattogram-Khagrachhari road, which remained suspended for the past three days due to blockade by Hefazat-e-Islami activists after a clash with police, resumed on Sunday night.
Hathazari Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Ruhul Amin said the vehicular movement on the road resumed around 10 pm after the Hefazat men withdrew the blockade following a fruitful meeting with the local administration.
Also read: Hefazat’s hartal underway; Dhaka-Chattorgam highway blocked
Allama Azizul Haque Islamabadi, organising secretary of central unit of Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh, said “The local administration sat with us several times and after getting assurance the Madrasha student withdrew their blockade from the road after the end of our day long hartal.”
The nationwide dawn-to-dusk hartal, enforced by Hefajat-e-Islam, passed off on Sunday amid sporadic incidents of clashes, vandalism, arson attacks and roads blockades at different parts of the country.
Hefajat called the general strike protesting the killing of its activists and the "attack on them by ruling party men" Friday during anti-Modi demonstrations in Dhaka, Chattogram and other districts.
Also read: Four killed in clashes with cops in Chattogram
Road communications between the port city and other parts of the country remained suspended since Sunday noon as no long-route bus left Chattogram due to the hartal.
Some students of Al Jamiatul Ahlia Darul Ulum Moinul Islam Madrasah cut roads and created a number of holes on Chattogram-Khagrachhari highway early Sunday, disrupting communications on the road.
Also read: Hefazat activists stage demo in Chattogram; Hartal tomorrow
A clash involving Hefazat supporters and police left four people dead and at least 15 others injured at Hathazari in Chattogram on Friday.
The clash took place when policed opened fire after a group of protestors attacked Hathazari thana compound and Hathazari land office and set fire to a vehicle.
Won’t tolerate anarchy: Home Minister
The government is going to take a strict stance to prevent all kind of anarchy and secure people’s lives and properties, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal said Sunday.
He came up with the warning while talking to reporters at the secretariat.
The warning came after a daylong Hefazat-e-Islam hartal protesting against, what it called “police action” on its ‘anti-Modi’ processions in Dhaka, Chattogram and other districts.
Minister Kamal said some rowdy people and groups, spurred on by religious fanaticism, are destroying public properties in Chattogram, Brahmanbaria and other parts of the country.
“I’m requesting them to stop,” he said, “otherwise, the government will take stern action.”
Also read: Hefazat’s day-long hartal ends amid violence, clashes
He said that the government has noticed some vested groups using orphans and minors to advance their own agenda.
“In some places, small children and orphans were victimised. This is anarchism,” Kamal said.
“We’ve observed them patiently, now we’ll resist them and bring them to book. Their tactics (hartal supporters) show that militants who triggered instability in the past, have joined hands to create sabotage,” he said, adding that no one will be spared.
Responding to a question, the minister said that most of the students who study in madrasas come from poor background. “They’re being used and misled using the name of religion.”
Hefazat announces fresh protest programme
Hardline Islamist group Hefazat also held nationwide demonstrations on Saturday during which clashes with police left at least five people dead in Brahmanbaria.
Also read: Hefazat announces ‘doa mahfil, demonstration’ for Monday
On Friday, four people were killed and at least 15 others were injured in a clash between Hefazat supporters and police at Hathazari in Chattogram.
On the same day, at least 50 people, including several journalists, were injured in a clash between Muslim devotees and police in Baitul Mukarram National Mosque area.
Clashes erupted when police barred people from bringing out a procession after Jum’a prayers protesting against the visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Hefazat announces ‘doa mahfil' for Monday, 'demonstration' on April 2
After a daylong countrywide shutdown, Hefazat-e-Islam on Sunday announced doa mahfil for Monday and demonstration programmes on April 2 (Friday) seeking justice for its activists killed during Friday and Saturday’s clashes with police.
“We’ll hold special prayers on Monday and stage nationwide protest on Friday,” Hefazat Secretary General Nurul Islam Zihadi announced at a press briefing in Dhaka.
The group is calling for punishing policemen involved in shooting incidents in Chattogram and Brahmanbaria during the group’s anti-Modi protests that left at least nine people dead, including several Hefazat activists.
It is also pressing for the release of its supporters arrested during the clashes.
Also read: Hefazat’s day-long hartal ends amid violence, clashes
“We’ll intensify our agitation if our demands are not met by next Friday,” Zihadi said.
Hefazat called for the shutdown protesting against, what it called “police action” on their ‘anti-Modi’ processions in Dhaka, Chattogram and other districts.
The group also held nationwide demonstrations on Saturday during which clashes with police left at least five people dead in Brahmanbaria.
Also read: Hefajat hartal: 25 hurt, 4 detained in Habiganj, Sylhet
Sunday’s hartal ended with reports of sporadic clashes across the country.
On Friday, four people were killed and at least 15 others were injured in a clash between Hefazat supporters and police at Hathazari in Chattogram.
Police opened fire after a group of protestors attacked the Hathazari thana compound, Hathazari land office and set fire to a vehicle.
Also read: Hartal: 30 hurt during clash with cops in Narayanganj
On the same day, at least 50 people, including several journalists, were injured in a clash between Muslim devotees and police in Baitul Mukarram National Mosque area.
Clashes erupted when police barred people from bringing out a procession after Jum’a prayers protesting against the visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Bangladesh.
Hefazat’s day-long hartal ends amid violence, clashes
The nationwide dawn-to-dusk hartal, enforced by Hefajat-e-Islam, passed off on Sunday amid sporadic incidents of clashes, vandalism, arson attacks and roads blockades at different parts of the country.
However, the hartal that began around 6am and ended at 6pm had little impact on the everyday life of people in the capital, except the low presence of public vehicles on the city streets. Rickshaws dominated the streets of the capital as usual.
A large number of law enforcers remained deployed at important city points to fend off any trouble.
Only a few long-distance buses left Dhaka for different districts while the train service was normal with poor presence of passengers.
Hefazat activists brought out processions in the capital's different areas, including Jatrabari, Paltan, Baitul Mukarram, Lalbagh, Mohammadpur and Basila, in support of the shutdown.
Hefazat activists blocked Jatrabari and Signboard in the morning setting fire to tyres.
Hartal: 30 hurt during clash with cops in Narayanganj
At least 30 people were injured including one with bullet in a clash between hartal supporters and members of law enforcement agencies in Mouchak area of Siddhirganj upazila in Narayanganj on Sunday.
The bullet-hit victim was identified as Sakib, 30.
Jayedul Islam, superintendent of Narayanganj Police, said some hartal supporters took position in Mouchak area and put up barricade on the road by placing logs and burning tyres at noon.
Also read: Clashes in Brahmanbaria leave five dead
2 BRTC buses torched in Rajshahi
Unidentified criminals set two stationary buses of Bangladesh Road Transport and Corporation (BRTC) on fire at Rajshahi Truck Terminal in the city’s Amchattar area on Sunday during the countrywide daylong hartal enforced by Hefazat-e-Islam.
Senior Station officer of Fire Service and Civil Defense of Rajshahi Abdur Rauf said the criminals set a bus of BRTC on fire around 6:30 am and the fire spread to another stationary bus of BRTC.
On information, fire fighters rushed to the spot and extinguished the blaze.
Also read: Hefazat’s hartal underway; Dhaka-Chattorgam highway blocked
However, no causality was reported till the filling of this report.
Saiful Islam Khan, officer-in-charge of Shah Makhdum Police Station, said police are investigating the incident.
The countrywide dawn-to-dusk hartal enforced by Hefazat-e-Islam protesting police action on their anti-Modi processions in Dhaka, Chattogram and other districts is underway on Sunday.
Also read: Hefazat calls countrywide hartal for Sunday
Hefazat-e-Islam announced the day long countrywide hartal at a press briefing at Purana Paltan in the capital on Friday night.
They also held nationwide demonstrations on Saturday.
Hefazat’s hartal underway; Dhaka-Chattorgam highway blocked
The countrywide dawn-to-dusk hartal enforced by Hefazat-e-Islam protesting police action on their ‘anti-Modi’ processions in Dhaka, Chattogram and other districts is underway on Sunday.
The Hefazat supporters took position on Basila Bridge in the capital’s Mohammadpur area and blocked the road.
Hefazat activists also brought out a procession in Baitul Mukarram National Mosque area in support of the hartal.
A small number of buses, private cars were seen plying the streets.
UNB’s Narayanganj correspondent reports: Some students of Madaninagar Madrasah put barricade on Dhaka-Chittagong highway by burning tires from Sanarpar to Shimrail crossing in the morning, disrupting Dhaka’s road communications with Chattogram and Sylhet.
Chattogram’s road communications with other parts of the country remained suspended since Sunday morning as no long-route bus left Chattogram due to the hartal, reports UNB’s Chattogram correspondent.
Some students of Al Jamiatul Ahlia Darul Ulum Moinul Islam Madrasah cut roads and created a number of holes on Chattogram-Khagrachhari highway early Sunday, disrupting communications on the road.
Clashes in Brahmanbaria leave five dead
At least five people were killed and around 50 others, including 25 police members, injured in clashes between law enforcers and locals during demonstrations at Nandanpur in Sadar upazila on Saturday.
They staged the demonstrations against Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Bangladesh and chanted various slogans against his visit.
Police and witnesses said a group of activists of Hefazat-e-Islam took position on Dhaka-Sylheht Highway in Nandanpur area in the afternoon and started demonstrating right there against Modi’s visit and the killing of people in Brahmanbaria and Chittagong on Friday.
Also read: Four killed in clashes with cops in Chattogram
The clash began as the members of police and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) tried to disperse them.
Hearing the news of the clash, local people also joined the demonstrations and attacked the law enforcers, forcing them to fire several rounds of bullet, leaving many people injured.
Also read: Protest against Modi’s visit: 50 injured as Muslim devotees, cops clash in Dhaka
Scores of injured people were taken to Brahmanbaria Sadar Hospital, said Rana Nurus Shams, resident medical officer (RMO) of the hospital.
He said they have so far declared five of the injured dead.
Also read: Modi visit: Protesters clash with cops at Motijheel; 20 injured
Four of the dead were identified as a workshop owner Juru Alam, 35, day-labourers Badal Mia, 24, Sujon Mia, 22, and plumber Kausar, 25.
The identity of another dead could not be known yet.
An uneasy calm at Hathazari after Friday’s mayhem
Traffic movement on Chattogram-Khagrachhari highway remained suspended since Saturday morning as a tense situation has been prevailing at Hathazari in Chattogram since Friday’s clash between Hefazat activists and cops that left four people dead.
Local administration and police held two meetings with the authorities of Hathazari Madrasah on Friday night but it ended inconceivably.
Local MP Barrister Anisul Islam said local administration assured them of taking steps to investigate the incident and conduct postmortems on the bodies of the deceased.
Meanwhile, the authorities concerned of Hathazari Madrasah submitted a six-point demand to the local administration.
Also read: Four killed in clashes with cops in Chattogram
The demands are the arrest of those involved in the killing immediately, refraining from making attacks on students and people, compensating the families of the deceased, bearing medical expenses of the injured students, bringing those physicians under book who were responsible for the negligence of duty at Chattogram Medical College and Hosptial and suspending officer-in-charge of Hathazari Police Station Rafiqul.
Anisul said, “We have heard their demands, some have been fulfilled while steps will be taken regarding the other demands of the students.”
Apart from police, Rab and BGB members are patrolling the area for maintaining the law and order.
Earlier, four people were killed and at least 15 others injured in clashes between Hefazat-e-Islam activists and police at Hathazari on Friday.
Police and witnesses said Hefazat activists brought out a procession after Jum'a prayers protesting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bangladesh visit.
At one stage, they took position in front of Hathazari Model Police Station and started throwing brick chips at the law enforcers.
Also read: Allama Shafi resigns from Hathazari Madrasa
As police tried to disperse the protesters, they engaged in clashes.
The agitators attacked the thana compound and Hathazari land office and set fire to a vehicle, forcing the law enforcers to fire teargas shells to bring the situation under control.
As police failed to disperse the protestors despite an hour of their efforts, they fired several rounds of bullets, leaving at least 20 people injured.
Of the injured, three Hefazat activists and a pedestrian were declared dead after they had been taken to Chattogram Medical College Hospital (CMCH).
The dead were indentified as Hathazari Madrasah students Mirazul Islam, Rabiul Islam, Jamil and local resident Abdullah.
Five other injured people were admitted to the hospital in critical condition.
Alauddin Talukder, officer-in-charge of Chattogram Medical College Hospital Police Outpost, said nine people with bullet wounds were taken to the CMCH from Hathazari as of 4:30pm yesterday. “Four of them died while the rest are undergoing treatment.”
Meanwhile, Hefazat-e-Islam has called a dawn-to-dusk countrywide hartal for Sunday protesting police action on their anti-Modi rally in Dhaka, Chattogram and other districts.
Also read: Govt shuts Hathazari Madrasa
The Qawmi madrasa-based organisation will also organise nationwide demonstrations on Saturday, Abdur Rob Eusufi, nayeb-e-ameer of Hefazat, announced the programmes at a press briefing in Purana Paltan on Friday night.
Hefazat chief Junaid Babungari ran a video message in this regard.