clash
Govt has staged the Nayapaltan clash to foil Dec 10 rally: Mirza Fakhrul
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said on Wednesday that violent clash between BNP activists and police outside the party’s central office at Nayapaltan was planned by the government to foil the party’s upcoming divisional rally in Dhaka on December 10.
“I came to Nayapaltan and tried to enter my party office after taking permission from the Home Minister and Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner. Still, police officials barred me from going inside, which is totally unacceptable in a democratic country,” Fakhrul said while sitting on the footpath outside BNP’s central office after the violence.
Fakhrul added that the government might have any other ill motive behind the day’s clash.
“I’ve called upon the Home Minister and the DMP commissioner to withdraw police from the area immediately and restore a peaceful environment here. We’ll definitely hold the government responsible for today’s unexpected incident,” Fakhrul added.
Fakhrul further said that the government has committed a heinous crime by letting police to raid BNP’s office.
“Only police will be able to tell if there was any bomb inside our party office or not. By raiding our office and planting explosives in there, police have destroyed democratic principles,” Fakhrul said.
Read: It’s an unjustified action of police: Fakhrul on Nayapalton clash
Asked about the allegation that BNP activists had entered the office carrying bags containing explosives, Fakhrul strongly denied the allegation, saying that it’s police who had entered the office with bags.
The BNP leader also said that Awami League is a political party, which continuously deceives people.
“The Home Minister had told me to go to our party office, saying that there won’t be any problem. Such a lie from him proves that Awami League is a party of traitors,” Fakhrul Said.
Replying to a question, Fakhrul added that there is no environment for holding a rally at this point. He also said that BNP will arrange a press conference at the Lakeshore Hotel on Thursday to brief the journalists about BNP’s next move.
Meanwhile, DMP Commissioner Khondker Golam Faruq justified the police action, saying that they’ve conducted an anti-terrorism drive and found cocktails inside rice and lentil sacks.
Tension was mounting for the last few days regarding the stalemate over the selection of venue for BNP’s December 10 rally. Party activists were gathering almost every day outside BNP’s Nayapaltan office and conducting political showdowns.
The presence of party workers increased on Wednesday. To keep the situation under control, more than a thousand police members were deployed in the area.
Read: 1 killed in police-BNP clash at Nayapaltan; Over 150 leaders, activists held
Around 3:00pm, the party activists gathered in front of the office and started chanting slogans. Sensing that the situation could be turning volatile, police asked the party members to leave the area immediately. This resulted in a heated argument and at one point, police started to beat the activists with batons to disperse them.
Taking shelter in nearby lanes, BNP activists started throwing brickbats in return. To quell the protesters, police fired tear gas and rubber bullets towards them, which injured around 50 people.
Falling sick due to inhaling tear gas, some 200 activists took shelter inside the BNP office. Later, police conducted a drive inside the office and arrested around 100 of these activists along with party leaders like Ruhul Kabir Rizvi Ahmed and Shahiduddin Chowdhury Annie.
In another development, police obstructed Mahmudur Rahman Manna-led Ganatantra Mancha at the Nightingale Intersection of the capital from advancing towards Naya Paltan.
US, Iran fans mingle in Qatar ahead of World Cup clash
Smiling U.S. and Iranian fans mingled and posed for photos outside a stadium in Doha ahead of a politically charged World Cup match on Tuesday.
The atmosphere was generally festive though the political divisions among Iran fans were apparent outside Al Thumama Stadium, as they have been during previous Iran games during the tournament, with pro-government fans confronting those expressing support for the anti-government protests across Iran.
Two London-based Iranians, wearing T-shirts with the slogan of protests, were repeatedly harassed while talking to an Associated Press journalist on Tuesday. One of them, who identified herself as Maryam, received a grazing slap to the face by an Iranian man following her. Security guards got between them, but did not detain the man who slapped her.
Other men blew vuvuzelas at the two or filmed them. One man shouted at them in Farsi “why don’t you think Iran is good?”
Maryam, who like other Iran fans declined to give her last name for fear of government reprisals, said her friends were similarly harassed at Iran-Wales match on Friday.
“They can’t stop us. People are getting killed and I’m not going to get stopped by some random guy. I’m not afraid of them,” she said.
Read more: Iran-US World Cup clash rife with political tension
Dalia, an 18-year-old Iranian from the southern city of Ahvaz who attended the game with her parents, said Tuesday’s match had exposed divisions within her family between those still committed to supporting Iran’s national team and others who reject the players as tools of the government.
The Iranian players in Qatar have declined to comment or made vague statements about the protests in Iran, which were sparked by the death of a 22-year-old woman while in the custody of Iran’s morality police.
“It’s so sad for me because I want to support them so badly but I just can’t,” Dalia said.
Mehrdad and Eli from Arizona brought pictures of the young women killed in Iran’s protests to the match. But holding them up invited harassment, they said, so Eli kept them in her purse. They described a deep sense of unease at the stadium.
“I feel like I am surrounded by IRGC agents,” said Mehrdad, referring to the country’s powerful Revolutionary Guard. “Everybody’s watching you.”
Elsewhere, U.S. and Iranian fans appeared unfazed by the tensions between the two countries, posing together for photos.
The two teams have played in a World Cup once before, in 1998 in France, when Iran beat the U.S. 2-1.
“It has been amazing to see Americans. They are so friendly,” said Yas, a 14-year-old Iran fan from the city of Shiraz. "I hope this is a chance for people to connect and share their cultures peacefully.”
Her older sister had an X written with a black marker over her lips.
“She’s doing that to show we all can’t talk about the politics in our country,” Yas said.
Read more: Iran shuts out noise at World Cup but United States looms
The latest protests mark one of the biggest challenges to Iran’s ruling clerics since the 1979 Islamic Revolution that brought them to power. Rights groups say security forces have unleashed live ammunition and bird shot on the protesters, as well as beating and arresting them, with much of the violence captured on video.
At least 452 protesters have been killed and more than 18,000 detained since the start of the unrest, according to Human Rights Activists in Iran, a group that has been monitoring the protests.
Two former members of the national soccer team arrested this month in connection with the protests have been released on bail.
Parviz Boroumand, a retired goalkeeper, was arrested nearly two weeks ago on charges of participating in protests in the capital, Tehran, and was accused of damaging property. Voria Ghafouri was arrested last week for “insulting the national soccer team and propagandizing against the government,” according to state-linked media.
15 BNP men detained with crude bombs in C’nawabganj, say district police
Police are claiming to have apprehended 15 leaders and activists of the opposition BNP, and recovered 7 crude bombs from their possession while they were holding a ‘clandestine meeting’ on Tuesday night.
Chowdhury Jobayed Ahmed, officer-in-charge of Shibjanj police station, said acting on a tip off, they carried out a drive at a warehouse near the house of local BNP leader Ashraf Chairman in Ranihat area, when they came across the group holding a ‘secret meeting’, without specifying what made it so secret or whether any meeting that isn’t public is secret.
Read more: Six cops among 21 injured as police clash with BNP in Sherpur
Police did however identify the meeting’s agenda as focused on carrying out subversive activities”.
The 15 BNP men were detained with seven crude bombs from the warehouse during the drive, he said.
A process was underway to file a case against the detainees, the OC added.
Read more: JCD leader shot dead in clash with cops over arrest of a BNP leader in Brahmanbaria
Narayanganj: Drivers of two four-wheelers killed in vehicle collision
Drivers of a covered van and a human hauler, locally known as Laguna, were killed in a fatal head-on collision between their vehicles on Araihazar-Madanpur road in Narayanganj's Araihazar Wednesday.
The deceased were identified as Ratan, 42, of Krishnapur village of Araihazar and Din Islam, 45, of Laskkardi village of the same upazila.
The accident occurred around noon when the speeding covered van crashed into the human hauler with a lot of force in the Lengurdi area, Azizul Haque Hawlader, officer-in-charge of Araihazar Police Station, said.
Laguna driver Ratan died instantly from the impact of the crash; covered van driver Din Islam was sent to a local hospital with serious injuries.
Din Islam succumbed to his injuries while being rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
At the request of the relatives of the deceased, the bodies were handed over to them without autopsies, Azizul said, adding that legal action will be taken in connection with the accident.
Read more: 2 killed in bus-auto rickshaw collision in Kishoreganj
Police–BNP clash in Kishoreganj: 29 including 11 cops hurt
At least 29 people including 11 police members were injured as a clash broke out between police and BNP activists on Monday in Kishoreganj.
The incident occurred around 12:30 pm in front of the BNP office in the district.
According to BNP activists, Jatiotabadi Jubo Dal (youth wing of BNP) activists were obstructed by police while coming with a procession to a rally organised to observe the National Revolution and Solidarity Day.
Read: BCL, BNP activists clash in Jhenaidah, several hurt
Without any provocation police charged with batons and fired rubber bullets at them, they alleged.
Mazharul Islam, General Secretary of district BNP, said that 18 activists of the party including Khasruzzaman Sharif, district Jubo Dal President, Mushtaq Ahmed, senior vice-president, Sazzad Hossain, acting general secretary, Abdullah Al Mamun, joint general secretary of district Chhatra Dal and Zubair, leader of district Swecchasebak Dal were injured.
Md Al-Amin Hossain, Additional Superintendent of Police (sadar circle), said 11 police members including Mohamamd Daud, Officer-in-Charge of Kishoreganj model police station, were injured by brick chips thrown by the BNP activists.
OC Mohamamd Daud said he had to tackle the activists as they were acting insolently from the procession and later threw brick chips at them.
Read: Sylhet BNP politician stabbed to death
Police members later charged with batons on the activists and fired blank shots at them to take control of the situation, he said.
Police cordoned off BNP office keeping several leaders locked inside including him till 3 pm, said BNP leader Mazharul Islam.
One killed, two injured in Khulna clash
A 40-year-old man was killed and two people were injured in a clash between two groups over previous enmity in Dighalia upazila of Khulna on Thursday.
The deceased was identified as Md Asabur Sheikh, son of Ikhtiar Sheikh of the upazila.
Witnesses said Nur Islam Sheikh’s sons Tutul Sheikh, Kamal Sheikh and Shahjalal Sheikh stabbed Asabur with lethal weapons at their yard around 8.45am, leaving him critically injured.
He was rushed to Khulna Medical College Hospital where physicians pronounced him dead, they said.
Kamal Sheikh and Shahjala Sheikh, who were injured in the clash, were undergoing treatment at the upazila health complex.
Ripon Kumar Sarkar, inspector of Dighlia police station, said they detained six people in connection with the murder.
Additional law enforcers were deployed to fend off any untoward incident, he said adding that no case was filed.
10 detained following clash between river police and fishermen in Shariatpur
At least 10 fishermen were detained by the local administration of Shariatpur after a clash between the river police and Hilsa catchers at Painpara Char in Jajira upazila on Saturday night.
The clash erupted when a team led by Jajira Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Md Kamrul Hasan conducted a drive in the Padma river at Jajira point and found a group of fishermen catching Hilsa in violation of a government ban. The ban is effective till October 28.
“Following the government’s directive, the local administration in association with Upazila Fisheries Officer and river police were distributing leaflets to make people aware about protecting mother Hilsa and increase Hilsa production in Kazirhat and Dubisabar Bandar area. Later, we conducted a drive in the nearby Padma river to ensure that no one was catching Hilsa illegally,” said Kamrul.
Kamrul added that around a hundred fishermen suddenly attacked the patrol team when they reached Painpara Char.
Read: 22-day ban on hilsa fishing begins Friday
“The Hilsa catchers backtracked when river police fired nine rounds of empty bullets. We detained 10 fishermen from the spot, among whom nine have been given one month’s imprisonment and one has received two months' imprisonment,” the UNO added.
A process is ongoing for filing a case against the detainees, Kamrul further said.
24 Chhatra Odhikar Parishad members produced in court, a day after arrest
Police on Saturday produced in a court 24 office-bearers and activists of the Chhatra Odhikar Parishad (COP), a day after apprehending them in a case lodged on a complaint from a leader of the Bangladesh Chhatra league (BCL).
“BCL leader Md Nazim Uddin filed a police complaint against the COP members in the wake of Friday’s clash between BCL’s Dhaka University unit and the Parishad, based on which an FIR was filed and the arrests were made,” said Nur Mohammad, officer In-charge of Shahbag Police Station.
Earlier, some BCL activists had attacked the injured Parishad members for the second time while they were undergoing treatment at Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH).
To avoid further trouble, police took the Parishad activists into custody.
At least 12 people were hurt as BCL members "swooped" on a rally brought out by COP inside the Dhaka University campus Friday in memory of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet) student Abrar Fahad.
Read: BCL 'swoops on' Chhatra Odhikar's Abrar Fahad remembrance rally at DU
The clash left over a dozen injured from both sides and they were rushed to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) where another brawl broke out.
Abrar, a second-year student of electrical and electronic engineering at Buet died on October 7, 2019, after he was mercilessly beaten up by the university's Chhatra League members over his Facebook post criticising the Bangladesh government's deals with India.
Section 144 imposed in Thakurgaon temple area to avert possible clash
Authorities in Thakugaon’s Sadar upazila imposed restrictions on public gatherings in the Rashik Lal Jeu Temple area on Thursday to avert any untoward incident ahead of Durga Puja, the biggest religious festival of the Hindu community.
Upazila Nirbahi Officer Shamsuzzaman invoked Section 144, that restricts freedom of assembly, apprehending a clash between two rival groups of devotees: one the followers of Sanatan Dharma (traditional religion, more commonly known as Hinduism) as practised here over thousands of years and another loyal to the International Society for Krishno Consciousness (Iskcon), a fairly recent, 20th century movement within Hinduism.
The restrictions applied under Section 144 of the CrPc have been in force in the area from Thursday afternoon and will continue for an indefinite period, the UNO added.
According to locals, the two groups have been at loggerheads for a long time over possession of the Rashik Lal Jeu temple land.
Read: Section 144 imposed in Pabna ahead of AL-BNP rally
In September 2009, a group of Iskcon men stormed the house of Prafulla Chandra, president of Rashik Roy Jeu temple. A person died in the attack, while several were injured.
Thereafter, the upazila administration sealed the temple and took over the responsibility of managing the temple.
In the past, the administration has resorted to invoking Section 144 in the temple area several times to avert untoward incidents in various Pujas.
BCL factional clash leaves eight injured at Chattogram College
At least eight leaders and activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) Chattogram College unit were injured in a factional clash between two groups over a trivial matter on the campus on Tuesday noon.
The injured are Safayet Hossain Raju of Mathematics fourth year, Hamim Rafsan of HSC second year, Jahedul Ovi of Islamic History second year, Wahidul Rahman Sujon of honours third year, Alif Javed of History first year, Zia Uddin of Social Science masters, Nayeem of History masters and Mohammad Monir of History fourth year.
Read: Dhaka College: 12 accused in case filed over BCL infighting
Witnesses and sources said the fellows of the college unit President Mahmudul Karim and General Secretary Shuvas Mollick locked into a clash over an altercation between seniors and juniors around noon.
At one stage, brick chips were pelted from other sides leaving at least eight people injured and several windows of the History department vandalized during the incident. The BCL men sustained injuries to their heads and legs.
President Mahmudul Karim said outsiders led by Shuvas carried out attacks on them without any provocation and several students got injured in the incident.
On the other hand, GS Shuvash claimed some of his younger brothers were injured in the attack by the terrorists and he knew how to control the goons.
Ala Uddin, sub-inspector of Chattogram Medical College Hospital Police outpost, said five BCL men left the hospital after receiving first aid.