Clashes at Chattogram, 24 hospitalised with bullet wounds
As many as 24 people have been brought to Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH) with bullet wounds in connection to clashes that broke out between protesters and a combined force of the police, Chhatra League, and Jubo League in Chattogram city.
The injured started arriving at CMCH around 11:30 am today, Sunday. Most of them have been shot. Only three of them have been identified so far. They are- Alauddin, 26, Sohrab, 22 and Md Faruk, 25. Reportedly, none of them are students.
Sub-Inspector (SI) of Hospital police outpost Alauddin Talukder said that the injured came to the hospital from city’s New Market area.
While the protest had been going on peacefully since morning the situation escalated around 11:30 am when leaders and activists of Chhatra League and Jubo League carried out an attack on the protesters from the City College area.
Later, the police joined the attack and fired tear gas shells at the students around 12:00 pm. At least eight people have been reported injured in the clash so far.
Awami League and its affiliated organisations had scheduled a programme at the same place around 1:00 pm today. The protesters demonstrated peacefully till 11:00 am.
However, a pro-government group coming from the City College area suddenly attacked the protesters towards 11:15 am. Rounds of gunshots were fired at the time.
Police arrived at the scene around 12:00 pm. Police tried to disperse the protesters firing sound grenades and tear shells at the time. Presence of the law enforcement agency members were not noticed at the scene during the time of the programmes announced by the two sides.
A tense situation had been prevailing at New Market area in the morning. None of the shops or the shopping malls in the area opened.
Earlier, members of the platform Students against Discrimination had taken position in New Market area on Saturday. After protesting there for almost three hours they brought out a protest procession.
The protesters had been gathering at New Market, Station Road and Jubilee Road areas in the city from the morning. Brickbats were found to be lying in these roads.
Many of the protesters had sticks in their hands. Some of the protesters told Prothom Alo today that they will continue with the movement until their one-point demand is met. They will remain in the field.