Curfew day 2: Scattered incidents of violence, protest

Demonstrations and violence took place at various places on Sunday centring the movement for quota reform, reportedly leaving seven people dead.

In Narsingdi, four people were killed after police opened fire on protesters who were tried to block roads by setting fire, while clashes left one dead in Narayanganj. Protesters attacked and vandalised the house of the Gazipur City Corporation mayor, and also confined the mayor for about 45 minutes. Two people who were injured during clashes on Saturday succumbed to their injuries in Gazipur on Sunday.

Clashes broke out between protesters and police on the Dhaka-Sylhet highway in the Shekherchar Mazar bus stand area of Sadar upazila around 1:00pm, leaving four people including a student dead. News about a wage earner was also learned on Sunday a day after he died on Saturday evening.

Those killed on Sunday are Md Rabbi, 17, from Bhagirathpur of Madhabdi, Md Nadid Mia, 30, from the Poulanpur area of Meher para union, Ali Hossain, 45, a tailor, and an unidentified 25-year-old youth. Of them, Rabbi is a student and Nahid is a hawker.

According to locals and witnesses, 15-20 protesters set fire to the highway and blocked it in the afternoon. At that time, a patrol team of police fired shots at them, which also left at least 10 people injured.

Rabbi’s father Abdul Khaleque and Nahid’s cousin Afzal Mia confirmed the death of Rabbi and Nahid respectively while local union parishad member Ali Akbar confirmed the death of Ali Hossain.

Narsingdi Sadar Hospital’s resident medical officer (RMO) Mahmudul Kabir Bashar said a 25-year-old youth was brought dead to the hospital from Shekherchar area around 2:30pm.

Earlier, Hasan Mia, 45, a wage earner, was killed in the Meherpara area on Saturday evening.

Chases and counter chases took place between police and protesters at various places in Gazipur city since Sunday morning, leaving more than 100 people injured. Twenty-six people with bullet injuries were admitted to the hospital, said Mostaque Ahmed, RMO of Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmad Medical College.

Two people who sustained injuries during clashes on Saturday died at the Tajuddin Ahmad Medical College on Sunday. They were Humayun Ahmed, from the Signboard area of Ghacha upazila and Pranay Das of Boardbazar.

Meanwhile, miscreants attacked and vandalised the house of Gazipur City Corporation mayor Zayeda Khatun around 12:00am on Sunday. As they could not find her son former mayor Jahangir Alam at home, they confined Zayeda Khatun. On information, police and Border Guard Bangladesh personnel rushed to the scene, rescued her and took her to Gazipur circuit house.

Prior to this, former mayor Jahangir Alam sustained injuries in the head in an attack by the protesters in the capital’s Uttara on Saturday. He has been currently undergoing treatment in Singapore.

Protesters set fire to various establishments on the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway in Baason Road, Choidan and Maleker Bari areas on Sunday. They also hurled brick chips at police. As police retaliated with opening fires, at least 20 people were injured. At least 30 others were also injured in police firing and tear shells during attacks and clashes in Maleker Bari and Boardbazar areas.

Joydebpur police station officer-in-charge Syed Rafiul Karim said police fired tear shells and rubber bullets to bring the situation under control.

Protesters engaged in clashes with law enforcement agencies in Siddirganj, leaving a youth dead. The deceased was Sozib Mia, 18, from Senbag of Noakhali. At least 20 others sustained bullets or were injured during the clashes. Police also fired tear shells and sound grenades from helicopters in the Signboard area around 12:00pm to disperse the protesters. Abul Bashar, supervisor of the Khanpur 300 Bed Narayanganj Hospital, confirmed the details of the deceased.

Protesters tried to demonstrate on the main road in Banasree area of the capital’s Rampura by blocking the road around 10:00am on Sunday. Later, police dispersed them by firing rubber bullets and tear gas shells.

BTMCL managing director MAN Siddique visited the damaged metro rail station in Mirpur 10 around 3:30pm. Protesters vandalised two parked sports utility vehicles (SUVs) of the BTMCL authorities on the road. As law enforcement agency members deployed nearby chased the vandals, they fled the scene.

Students of the neighbouring areas demonstrated blocking the Pragati Sarani in front of Jamuna Future Park and Bashundhara Residential Area. Protesters tried to block the road in the area since Sunday morning and took position under the foot over bridge adjacent to the main entrance of the Bashundhara Residential Area. Witnesses said members of law enforcement agencies fired shots, tear shells and sound grenades at the protesters in the afternoon and dispersed them.

Members of law enforcement agencies took control of the Jatrabari-Chattogram Road portion of the Dhaka-Chattogram highway on Sunday. Very few rickshaws, motorcycles and long-route buses were seen plying in the afternoon. Besides, scattered clashes took place on the Rayerbag-Signboard portion of the highway.

Protesters took positions at various places on the Dhaka-Aricha highway in the Radio Colony area of Savar, outskirts of the capital, around 10:00am on Sunday. Police removed them later.

Students demonstrated at the Islamic University, Kushtia during the curfew.

Protesting students and locals held a protest procession in Jahangirnagar University demanding the trial of the masterminds of the Chhatra League and administration who ordered the killing of students and people across the country during the quota reform movement.

Prothom Alo’s Correspondents and Staff Correspondents from the respective areas contributed to the reporting.