BNP Bogura march obstructed, resulting in clashes, firing

The BNP men have engaged in clashes with cops in Bogura after the latter blocked the party’s pre scheduled march and demonstration programme at Yakubia intersection in the district town on Tuesday. 

The clashes broke out between the two sides around 12:45 pm when the BNP march faced blockade from the police.

There were phases of clash and chase from the Runner Plaza on Nawab Bari road to the BNP office.

At one stage, the law enforcers resorted to tear gas, rubber and shotgun bullets to disperse the BNP men and bring the situation under control. 

The BNP claimed some 20 to 25 of its activists sustained injuries in the police attack and firing, while the police said some six to seven cops were injured in the BNP attack. 

Ali Ajgar Talukder, general secretary of Bogura district BNP, alleged that the police attacked and opened fire on the BNP march without any provocation. The police personnel even fired tear gas shells and bullets at their party office, resulting in injuries to some 20 to 25 leaders and activists.

The BNP leader also said their march programme was pre scheduled and they shared the route plan with the police in advance. Meanwhile, the ruling Awami League chalked out a counter programme – peace rally – in the town on the same day. 

The policemen carried out the attack on the BNP leaders and activists, being moved by the ruling party, he alleged. 

However, the police claimed they acted in self-defence as BNP leaders and activists attempted to cross Satmatha from the Yakubia intersection, where the ruling party was holding a peace rally. 

Abdur Rashid, additional superintendent of Bogura police, said the police asked the BNP march not to move towards Satmatha, in an effort to avoid any untoward incident. But the cops came under attack there, prompting them to fire tear gas shells and rubber bullets in self defence. 

Additional SP Abdur Rashid also claimed that the policemen handled the situation with utmost patience. He, however, tactfully avoided the issue of attacking the BNP office.

According to the BNP, its march programme, in the demand for a neutral government and the resignation of prime minister Sheikh Hasina, was scheduled to start from Banani and end at Matidali. They briefed their activists about the route plan and also shared it with the police. 

But the ruling party called a peace rally on the same day at Satmatha, triggering a tension in the town. Additional police forces were deployed at crucial points in the city to deal with the situation. 

According to witnesses, supporters of Awami League and its associate bodies thronged at Satmatha around 11:00 am for the peace rally, led by district Awami League president Mujibur Rahman and general secretary Ragebul Ahsan. They returned to the party office marching through the city, via Satmatha, Thana Road and Borogola. 

On the other hand, the BNP men brought out separate marches from Banani and Matidaly, converging towards Satmatha as per their previous plan. But they faced a blockade from the police at Yakubia school intersection, leading to the clashes.

The BNP men threw brick chips at the police and received a response with tear gas shells and rubber bullets firing from the other side. At one stage, the policemen charged batons on the BNP men and dispersed them. 

Later, the police chased the BNP men in front of the circuit house, with both sides engaging in further clashes. Leaders and activists of the BNP hurled brick chips at the police. In response, the cops fired tear gas shells, rubber and shotgun bullets to disperse them.