Awami League, BNP clash in Dhaka

A clash broke out between the leaders and activists of Awami League and BNP ahead of a pre-scheduled rally of the BNP in Dhaka’s Hazaribagh on Monday.

Chases and counter-chases also took place during the clash that broke out around 1:45pm on Tally Office road in Hajaribagh. Several people from both sides also sustained injuries during the clashes.

Earlier, leaders and activists of BNP gathered in Shankar bus stand in Dhanmondi to hold a rally as part of the party’s agenda to organise rallies in 16 places across Dhaka protesting the hike in fuel and essentials prices and the death of its four leaders and activists.

Clashes were triggered when supporters of Awami League obstructed BNP activists who were carrying sticks on their way to the site of their rally.

Several activists from both Awami League and BNP were also seen getting beaten indiscriminately. The situations became calm after both parties moved away from each other.

Later, leaders and activists of Awami League, Juba League and Chhatra League, carrying sticks, went to Tally Office road and took position there.

Meanwhile, BNP continued to hold their rally on a small spot of land beside the embankment opposite Sikder Medical College. Hundreds of BNP men holding sticks and national flags gathered there.

Tension prevailed as Awami League men also gathered on the other side of the road.

Police also erected barricades there to prevent further untoward incidents and instructed BNP men to relinquish the sticks.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police additional commissioner (Dhanmondi zone) Ehsanul Ferdous said there is no need of sticks in a peaceful rally, so they instructed the people joining the event to leave the sticks.