Clashes over Inqilab Moncho sit-in, police charge baton, fire sound grenades

Clashes broke out during the Inqilab Moncho sit-in demanding an impartial UN investigation into the killing of Shaheed Sharif Osman bin Hadi. Police were seen baton-charging, firing tear gas shells, and sound grenades, leaving several people injured.

The incident took place near the InterContinental Hotel Dhaka on Friday afternoon.

Earlier, Inqilab Moncho leaders and activists had been holding sit-ins in two separate groups in front of the UN adviser’s residence near the Jamuna, the official residence of the chief adviser of thei nterim government, and in front of InterContinental Hotel, demanding a neutral investigation into Osman Hadi’s killing.

Meanwhile, police had set up barricades in the InterContinental Hotel area.

In front of the Jamuna, Osman Hadi’s wife Rabeya Islam Shompa and a few others were present, while in front of InterContinental Hotel, Inqilab Moncho members including secretary Abdullah Al Jaber, Rajshahi University Central Students’ Union (RUCSU) general secretary Saluddin Ammar, and several hundred protesters staged a sit-in.

At around 3:30 pm, when Fatima Tasnim Zuma, the secretary for Liberation War and Democratic Movement of Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU), and several others tried to move towards the Jamuna from in front of InterContinental Hotel, police blocked them. A scuffle broke out at that time.

Later, when people from Inqilab Moncho in the InterContinental Hotel area tried to break barricades and move towards the Jamuna, clashes with police ensued. Police initially used water cannons on the protesters, followed by baton charges, tear gas shells, and sound grenades.

In response, Inqulab Moncho leaders and activists started throwing bottles and bricks at police. Several people, including Fatima Tasnim Zuma, DUCSU leader and spokesperson of Inqilab Moncho, were injured in the incident.

When asked about the incident, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) commissioner Sheikh Md Sajjat Ali told Prothom Alo that protesters attempted to break police barricades and besiege the Jamuna. Some protesters tried to damage the water cannon. In this situation, police were compelled to act in public interest.

After the clashes, around 4:30 pm, Nasiruddin Patwary, the candidate of the 11-party electoral alliance from Dhaka-8, arrived in front of InterContinental Hotel. He, along with others, began a protest march, which moved from InterContinental Hotel area to Shahbagh intersection.