BNP’s sit-in program marred by violence, arson

BNP’s sit-in program at the key entry points of Dhaka today was marred by violence and arson, leaving an unspecified number of people injured. Several vehicles were torched in different areas, including Matuail and Shyamoli, during the clashes between BNP activists and police.

Clashes broke out between BNP leaders, activists and police when the former gathered at several entry points of Dhaka to observe their five-hour sit-in program.

The opposition leaders and activists locked in clashes with police at Dholaikhal, Uttara, Matuail, Rayerbah and Gabtoli when they took position there observing their scheduled programme.

Police picked up several BNP leaders, including senior leaders Gayeshwar Chandra Roy and Amanullah Aman, as they tried to observe a sit-in program in different areas.

Despite the heavy presence of law enforcers, BNP leaders and activists gathered at several entry points of the capital, fueling the fear of clashes and violence.

Photo: Md. Rakibul Hasan/UNB

Several hundred BNP leaders and activists thronged one side of the road in Old Dhaka‍‍`s Dholaikhal around 11 am. They were shouting anti-government slogans.

BNP was supposed to hold the programme in Old Dhaka‍‍`s Nayabazar. As Awami League leaders and workers took a position there, they gathered in Dholaikhal area, about one and a half km away from Nayabazar. 

BNP leaders and activists engaged in a clash with law enforcers at Dholaikhal intersection around 11:30 am. At one stage, police lobbed teargas shells and charged batons on the opposition activists who retaliated with brickbats.

Police also beat up BNP standing committee member Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, leaving him injured. The law enforcers later picked him up from the spot.

Police also picked up BNP’s Dhaka north city unit convener Amanullah Aman from Gabtoli Bus Station around 12 pm as he along with BNP activists tried to stage a sit-in there.

Aman, together with the opposition activists, gathered in front of Khalek Paribahan bus counter around 11 am while the ruling party activists took a position at a close distance.

At one stage, police asked Aman and the BNP men to leave the area. As Aman declined, a clash broke out between the opposition activists and police.

At one point, Aman laid down on the road in front of Nabil Paribahan on Mazar Road, but law enforcers put him in a police van. They also detained five other BNP activists on the spot.

Photo: Md. Rakibul Hasan/UNB

Several hundred BNP leaders and workers also converged on Matuail Matri Sadan Hospital with sticks around 11:10 am. Police tried to disperse them with tear gas and rubber bullets and using water cannons, leaving some people injured.

Police also foiled the sit-ins by the BNP activists in Shonir Akhra and Rayerbagh areas. 

A clash also took place between police and opposition leaders and workers in front of the BNS Centre in Uttara. The BNP leaders and workers thronged the area around 11:15 am and party leaders started addressing the gathering. Police asked them to vacate the area, but they continued the programme, forcing the law enforcers to go into action to disperse them. The police chased the opposition activists and lobbed teargas shells at them, leaving some BNP leaders and activists and journalists injured.

Meanwhile, Awami League activists reportedly attacked a procession of BNP leaders and workers near Gabtoli around 12 pm, leaving two people injured.

A large number of law enforcers have been deployed at the key entry points of Dhaka centring BNP’s sit-ins as Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) on Friday night said it would not allow the party to hold their programme.