At least 58 injured in AL-BNP clash, 13 more while cops swooped on BNP men

At least 58 people left injured across the country as clashers held between ruling Awami League (AL) and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) men on Saturday while BNP was holding demonstrations as part of the party's central program (union level march) and the AL was holding its peace rally.

As many as 28 injured as BNP clashes with AL in Jamalpur, about 10 injured in Sirajganj in AL-BNP clash and 20 more injuries reported in Natore during AL-BNP clash, according to media reports.

Moreover, clash between BNP and law enforcers left 13 injuries in Narayanganj.

Lutfar Rahman Abdu, former joint convener of Narayanganj district BNP, said as part of BNP's union-level march, a group of party leaders and activists started their program from Panchrukhi Bazar this noon, but police suddenly obstructed them.

The law enforcers also charged batons on them and fired rubber bullets. They were given treatment at different hospitals, the BNP leader added.

Police requested the BNP men to leave the Dhaka-Sylhet highway as third blockade created severe traffic congestion, but they hurled brick bats on the police, said Azizul Haque, officer-in-charge of Araihazar Police Station adding that police fired rubber bullets and lobbed teargas canisters in self-defense and managed to disperse the demonstrators.

Three policemen were injured following the attack by BNP men, the police official added.