BNP's Faridpur mass sit-in foiled by police-Jubo League attacks, 35 injured

The associate bodies of ruling party Awami League (AL) -- Jubo League and Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) -- and police allegedly attacked the scheduled mass sit-in of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) in Faridpur, leaving at least 35 injured, including police.

The incident took place at the historic Ambika Maidan of Faridpur on Wednesday afternoon.

The member secretary of Faridpur unit BNP AK Kibria told Prothom Alo that 30 leaders and activists were wounded in the attack. Of them, three critically injured activists were admitted to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU).

Kotwali police station officer-in-charge M Jalil said five policemen were injured in this incident and 10 detained.  

According to the eyewitnesses and police, BNP started its mass sit-in at Ambika Maidan, reciting from the Quran.

At around 12:00 pm, Jubo League and BCL men blasted a cocktail at the main entrance of the programme venue. Then the leaders and activists of BNP chased them away and hurled brick chips at police, leaving several injured.

In retaliation, police fired rubber bullets. At a stage of clash, police, Jubo League and BCL jointly attacked the mass sit-in.  

The district Awami League president Shamim Haque said, "We were holding a rally at Rasel Square on Wednesday afternoon as a part of our scheduled events announced centrally. At that time, we heard that a massive procession of BNP halted the traffic movements between Goalchamot Shree Angan and Alipur graveyard and created public sufferings."

"Then we sought assistance from the police. Nobody from AL obstructed BNP’s mass sit-in," he added.