At least 97 die across country on a day of carnage

The country experienced a day of unprecedented turmoil on Sunday as at least 97 people, including 14 policemen, died in day-long clashes centering the non-cooperation movement called by Students Against Discrimination (SAD).

The clashes rocked nook and corners of the country today after the platform rolled out its one-point demand seeking the resignation of the government and announced non-cooperation movement on Saturday.

The protesters in thousands took to streets and engaged with pitched battles against police members and ruling party activists. Report of fighting started appearing since the morning.

Sirajganj saw the highest number of death toll on Sunday as at least 22 people including 13 policemen died there. The police members were killed inside Enayetpur police station in the district.

A total of 14 policemen have been killed across the country with a total of 13 in Enayatpur police station in Sirajganj, said the police headquarters. One policeman has been killed in Cumilla’s Eliotganj, it added.

Dhaka, Feni and Lakshmipur saw eight each deaths while six Awami League leaders were lynched in Narsingdi.

The eight dead in the capital includes three students and a leader of AL’s Dhaka city north unit named Anwarul Islam.

At least six leaders and activists of ruling AL were beaten to death, after they had opened fire at the demonstrators at Madhabdi upazila in Narsingdi.

The incident took place at the ablution room of a mosque near the Madhabdi municipality building around 1:30 pm.

Three of the deceased are –   Delwar Hossain, chairman of Chardighaldi union parishad; Delwar Hossain, president of Matsyajibi League's Madhabdi town unit; and Moniruzzaman Bhuiyan, former president of Swechasebak League’s Narsingdi district unit.

At least 13 policemen, who were stationed at the Enayetpur police station in Sirajganj, were killed during a terrorist attack on Sunday, said the police headquarters.

The police headquarters disclosed the information through a message in the afternoon on Sunday.

Rajshahi range police additional deputy inspector general (operations and crime) Bijoy Basak, speaking to Prothom Alo, said a team of army personnel had gone to the spot at around 7:00pm. Other members of law enforcing agencies accompanied them. They found 11 dead bodies at the police station. Eight bodies were piled up near a mosque. Three bodies found in a pond. A number of policemen are still missing.

Also, five each died in Bagura and Sylhet, four each died in Kishoreganj, Magura, and Rangpur. Three each died in Munshiganj, Bhola, Pabna and Cumilla while Sherpur saw two deaths. Joypurhat, Habiganj, Dhaka’s Keraniganj, Savar and Barishal saw one death each.  

Students Against Discrimination first called a 'March to Dhaka' programme on Tuesday, which was later changed to Monday. It has called upon the protesters from all over the country to come to Dhaka. Asif Mahmud, coordinator of the platform, made this call in a statement.

"In an urgent decision in light of the situation, our "March to Dhaka" programme has been changed from next Tuesday to tomorrow Monday. We are calling on students from all over the country to march to Dhaka tomorrow,” Asif Mahmud said.

Around 5:30pm, the protesters took away four bodies from the main gate of Dhaka Medical College Hospital as these were being taken to the hospital. They took the bodies to central Shaheed Minar first and then advanced towards Shahbagh. They were chanting different slogans.

Former army officials opined that ‘initiatives have been taken to militarise the political crisis,’ and protested the move, as well as called for bringing the army back to barracks.

The former officials made the call at a press conference on Sunday to resolve the existing crisis at the auditorium of the Retired Armed Forces Officers Welfare Association (RAOWA) in the capital’s Mohakhali. Former army chief Iqbal Karim Bhuiyan presented the keynote remarks at the briefing.

Iqbal Karim Bhuiyan said had the policymakers of the country not lost their sanity, consciousness and soul the largest tragedy of these killings would not have happened in the history of Bangladesh over the last several weeks. Numerous people were maimed in these attacks, aggressions and counter-resistances. Many teenagers and youths lost their sight. Helpless citizens are not receiving necessary and emergency treatment. On top of that, dangerous situations like homes and messes are being marked by terrorists and blocked raids are being launched to detain people through blocked raids. Thousands of innocent teenage boys and girls, juveniles, young girls and youths are arrested in false cases or at large.

At the beginning, six senior retired defence officials including Brigadier General (retired) Md Shakhawat Hossain, and Brigadier General (retired) Shahedul Aman addressed the event. Former army chief Nuruddin Khan Lieutenant General (retired) Nuruddin Khan was also present.

As violence escalated, the government on imposed a curfew for an indefinite period from 6:00pm Sunday.

The government also declared three days of public holiday from Monday and the public administration ministry issued a gazette notification to this end on Sunday afternoon.

The curfew will be in place at all the divisional towns, city corporations, pourashavas, district and upazila sadar areas and industrial areas, said Md Sharif Mahmud, public relations officer of the home ministry.

Chief Justice Obaidul Hasan declared that all courts across the country will remain closed indefinitely.

Bangladesh Army Sunday urged the people to abide by the curfew which was imposed for an indefinite period from today as the country’s overall law and order situation deteriorated again.

“Bangladesh Army will perform its promised duty in line with Bangladesh Constitution and existing laws of the country. In this regard, the people are requested to abide by the curfew as well as give full cooperation to this end,” said an ISPR release issued.

It said the decision of imposing curfew has been taken for ensuring security of the people’s lives and properties and important establishments of the state.

Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha reports: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today asked the people of the country to curb anarchists with iron hands.

"No one of those who now are carrying out violence is a student. They are terrorists," said PM's assistant press secretary ABM Sarwer-E-Alam Sarker quoting the PM as saying.

The PM has given the instruction after coming out of the meeting of National Committee on Security Affairs (NCSA), the highest policy making authority of the national security, at her official Ganabhaban residence here, Sarwar added.

Cabinet Secretary, Chiefs of three services, PM's Principal Secretary, Senior Secretary of Foreign Ministry, Principal Staff Office (PSO) of Armed Forces Division (AFD), Inspector General of Police (IGP), Director Generals of BGB, NSI and DGFI, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NCSA, Director General (DG) of RAB and Special Branch (SB) chief, were present, among others