40 injured during BNP activists-police clash in Kishoreganj

At least 40 people were injured in a clash between Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) activists and police at Kishoreganj sadar upazila on 30 March noon.

Earlier, BNP district unit organisers called a rally at Rathkhola ground, to protest against the police attack on Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh activists and arson attacks at two BNP offices in Kishoreganj town.

To attend the rally, several BNP supporters led by district unit organising secretary Israil Miah, Kishoreganj municipality unit convener Aminul Islam and district unit president of Chhatra Dal Maruf Miah, marched to the venue.

Police barred the demonstrations when the groups reached Puran Thana and Ekrampur areas, inciting a clash with the demonstrators.

Police fired several rounds of tear shells and rubber bullets to bring the situation under control. BNP activists too pelted brickbats at police. The clash that continued for nearly one hour left at least 40 people injured, witnesses said.

Traffic movement and business activities remained halted around Ekrampur, Puran Thana, Gaurangabazar, Rathkhola and some neighbouring areas during the clash.

Later, the BNP activists finally held a protest rally at Rathkhola ground. BNP’s Kishoreganj unit president Shariful Alam, general secretary Majharul Islam, joint secretary Khaled Saifullah, among others, addressed the rally.

“Without any provocation, police utilised force on BNP activists,” Shariful alleged.

According to Shariful, at least 30 BNP activists including Tarequzzaman, Alamgir Hossain, Md Emdad and Maruf Miah got injured during the clash.

“Most of them sustained bullet injuries,” Shariful said.

Kishoreganj sadar police station’s officer in-charge Abu Bakar Siddique said BNP activists tried to stage a demonstration without a prior permission from the administration. “Moreover, there was a pandemic-time restriction over political gathering. Police tried to restrict public gathering on the busy roads. We are trying to arrest the BNP activists responsible for the incident,” Bakar said.

Earlier, police filed a case against 2,500 people allegedly for damaging Awami League office in Kishoreganj and obstructing police from discharging their duties during Sunday's general strike called by Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh.

So far, police arrested seven people regarding the case.