Police, BNP supporters clash near Baitul Mukarram

Leaders and workers of BNP clashed with police in front of the National Mosque Baitul Mukarram on Wednesday.

Witnesses said opposition leaders and workers brought out a procession after a gayebana janaza at Baitul Mukarram Mosque’s north gate for students killed in the quota reform movement.

They said the clash began as police obstructed the procession.

Law enforcers dispersed opposition leaders and followers by charging batons, lobbing tear gas, and using sound grenades.

In the face of police action, the opposition activists took position in different lanes and by-lanes and attempted to resist the law enforcers by hurling stones and brick chips during the approximately 20-minute clash.

Earlier, some leaders and activists of BNP and other parties involved in the simultaneous movement joined a gayebana janaza at Baitul Mukarram Mosque amid tight security measures and ‘obstruction’ by the police.

The janaza was held at the north gate of the National Mosque Baitul Mukarram after Zuhr prayers.

Speaking to reporters after the janaza, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said the government could have resolved the problem through discussion with students agitating for quota reform. “But the situation has been pushed towards conflict and violence, and students have been killed.”

He called on the country’s people to stand by the general students who are on a movement with their justified demand for reform in the quota system in government jobs.

Fakhrul said they extended their support to the student movement, but police staged a drama in the name of a raid on their central office, planting bombs and sticks there.
He said the raid was conducted to divert the student movement in a different direction.

The BNP leader also said police barred opposition leaders and workers from participating in the janaza for the slain students. “We strongly condemn and protest it.”

BNP Joint Secretary General Shahiduddin Chowdhury Anee alleged that police did not allow many of their leaders and workers to join the funeral prayer in absentia.

He said police took positions around the national mosque since noon and obstructed opposition leaders and activists from going to the mosque, detaining many of them.
The BNP leader also said law enforcers beat up opposition leaders and activists before and after the janaza.

Earlier on Tuesday night, Mirza Fakhrul announced to hold gayebana janazas across the country on Wednesday for the students killed in the quota reform movement.
He made the announcement at a press conference after a meeting with the leaders of Ganatantra Mancha at the BNP Chairperson’s Gulshan office on Tuesday.