15 injured as police swoop on rally in support of hartal in Narayanganj 

The police allegedly launched a baton charge at a Left Democratic Alliance rally supporting a half-day hartal to cancel the election schedule and conduct elections under a non-partisan caretaker government in Narayanganj around 7:30 am on Thursday.  

At least 15 leaders and workers of the alliance were injured in the incident in the city's DIT commercial area and have since been undergoing treatment at Narayanganj General Hospital (Victoria).  

Witnesses informed that the Left Democratic Alliance (LDA) leaders and activists initiated a procession in support of the strike in the city this morning. When they proceeded towards Nitaiganj with the procession, the police stopped them in the DIT commercial area of the city.  

At that point, a confrontation and scuffle ensued between the police and the leaders and workers as the police attempted to snatch their banner. The police dispersed the LDA leaders and activists with batons, and their banners were taken away. 

The leaders of the Left Democratic Alliance (LDA) stated that district CPB president Hafizul Islam, general secretary and freedom fighter Shibnath Chakraborty, member secretary of BSP district Abu Naeem Khan, CPB leaders Sarat Mandal, Nurul Islam, student front convenor Saiful Islam, district committee member Jihad Hossain, joint general secretary of Garments Sramik Front Ruhul Amin, finance secretary of the organization Khorshed Alam, along with 20 other leaders and workers, were injured in the police baton charge. 

District CPB President Hafizul Islam informed Prothom Alo that the police attacked their peaceful programme in support of the strike, confiscated their banner, and subjected them to severe beatings.

A total of 20 leaders and workers sustained injuries from the police baton charge, and all of them had to be taken to the hospital. 

Hafizul Islam expressed that the manner in which the police, as the law and order force of the state, attacked and beat political party workers without provocation was unprecedented.

Such an incident of attack did not even occur during the anti-dictatorship movement. He claimed that the police targeted them as a force aligned with the Awami League.  

The Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Narayanganj Sadar Model police station, Shahadat Hossain, informed Prothom Alo that when they attempted to block the road during the hartal, the police tried to disperse the leaders and activists of the Left Democratic Alliance from the road.

He mentioned that some individuals may have fallen and gotten injured in the process of the police intervention.