Police baton-charge on left alliance protesters, several injured
Police obstructed a protest march towards Jamuna, organised to demand the cancellation of what the demonstrators termed a national interest–violating lease agreement for the Laldia–Pangaon Terminal with a foreign company, as well as to halt the process of leasing out the New Mooring and Patenga terminals to foreign operators.
Jamuna is the official residence of the interim government’s chief adviser professor Muhammad Yunus.
The march came under police obstruction at Kakrail intersection in the capital. A scuffle broke out, and police subsequently baton-charged the protesters, leaving several injured.
The rally was jointly organised by the Left Democratic Alliance, the Anti-Fascist Left Bloc, Bangladesh JASAD, and the Jatiya Gano Front. The gathering took place in front of the National Press Club between 11:30 am and 12:00 pm.
After the rally, demonstrators began marching towards the chief adviser’s residence. The procession reached Kakrail around 12:20 pm, where police prevented it from moving further.
Masud Alam, deputy commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Ramna Division, told Prothom Alo that rallies and processions are prohibited in the vicinity of the chief adviser’s residence.
Police had communicated this repeatedly to the organisers, he said. “When they still attempted to move towards Jamuna, police set up a barricade. There was pushing and shoving. It cannot exactly be termed a baton charge; they were simply stopped from advancing.”
Bazlur Rashid Firoz, general secretary of the Bangladesher Samajtantrik Dal (BASAD), alleged that police baton-charged a peaceful march, injuring several, including Abdullah Kafi, general secretary of the Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB), and Ruhul Amin, a CPB central committee member.
Following the confrontation, protesters staged a sit-in at Kakrail intersection.
In protest against the police action, BASAD general secretary announced a demonstration and protest rally to be held in front of the National Press Club at 4:00 pm on Friday.
The protesters left Kakrail at around 1:10 pm and concluded their programme back at the press club.