A local BNP leader was physically assaulted by Awami League activists in front of local BNP office at Patharghata in Barguna district at about 11:00am on Saturday.
Leaders and workers of main opposition BNP and its associate bodies brought out marches at unions across the country on Saturday morning to press home their 10-point demands including holding the next general election under a caretaker government.
Chase, counter-chase and clashes took place during the march programme at different places, including Sirajganj, Jhalakathi, Barguna, Narayanganj and Natore districts.
Our Sirajganj Correspondent reports: More than 20 people were injured in a clash between the ruling Awami League and opposition BNP activists at Paikpara Bazar area under Sadar upazila in Sirajganj district on Saturday morning.
The clash broke out when the main opposition BNP brought out their pre-announced union-level march.
During the clash, 12 motorcycles of BNP activists were torched.
Besides, minimum 10 shops were vandalised and goods along with cash were looted, local traders alleged.
Sirajganj Sadar police station officer-in-charge Humayun Kabir said at least 20 people were injured in a clash between the activists of Awami League and BNP during BNP's march programme in Sadar upazila's Paikpara Bazar area.
During a clash between the ruling Awami League and opposition BNP activists at Paikpara Bazar area under Sadar upazila in Sirajganj district on Saturday morning, 12 motorcycles of BNP activists were torched.
In Jhalakathi, at least, 15 activists of BNP and its associate bodies were injured in attacks by Awami League activists at Nathullabad, Dhanshiri, Nabagram, and Keora, alleged District BNP Convening Committee member Mizanur Rahman Mobin.
Awami League, BNP clashes in Jhalakathi district left 10 injured at Nathullabad union under Jhalakathi Sadar upazila on Saturday (February 11, 2023) morning
Among the critically injured, Sadar Upazila Krishak Dal member Lutfar Rahman Molla, 45, Nathullabad Union BNP joint general secretary Sheikh Lavlu, 42, and Keora Union Sramik Dal president Mahtab Hossain, 40, are now undergoing treatment at Jhalakathi Sadar Hospital.
Besides, Dhanshiri Union BNP general secretary Khalilur Rahman received treatment locally.
There were allegations that Jhalakathi Sadar police did not take necessary measures to prevent the ruling Awami League leaders and workers from attacking the BNP leaders and workers. They played the role of silent spectators.
Jhalakathi Sadar Police Station officer-in-charge Nasir Uddin said they had no clue about the attacks and no complaint was lodged in this regard.
According to a report sent by our Narayanganj correspondent, 12 BNP
activists were injured in a clash between police and party activists
during the party's ongoing union-level march at Panchrukhi in Araihazar
upazila in Narayanganj district on Saturday.
Lutfar Rahman,
former joint secretary of district unit BNP, said they brought out a
procession as part of their scheduled march programme at union level
around 10:00am.
When the procession reached Panchrukhi, police obstructed them, leading to a chase and counter-chase.
Police also lobbed tear gas shells and charged batons to disperse them, leaving 12 people injured.
The injured were given first aid.
In Barguna, at least eight leaders and activists of BNP were injured as supporters of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), the student-wing of the ruling party, attacked the local BNP office at Patharghata upazila.
Leaders of Patharghata BNP alleged that BCL men attacked their office at about 11.00am while supporters and leaders of BNP were taking preparation to hold pre-scheduled march programme. They (BCL men) attacked the office in presence of police, vandalized there and beat the leaders and workers of the party, they said.
Patharghata BNP convener Chowdhury Md. Faruque said, “Police were conducting raids in the houses of BNP leaders and workers from Friday night ahead of the prescheduled march. BNP are being barred from holding any programme. Awami League, Jubo League and Chhatra League attacked during the programme.”
In Natore, at least seven BNP leaders and activists were injured as supporters of Awami League reportedly attacked them during their march programme in Singra upazila.
The clash took place in the afternoon in Koigram area under Ramananda Khajura union of the upazila.
Supporters of Awami League attack BNP's march programme in Singra upazila of Natore on Saturday afternoon.
Leaders of Singra BNP alleged that supporters of AL and its associate bodies attacked BNP supporters when the latter were holding march, leaving at least seven injured. Besides, AL men also attacked several unions’ programmes in the upazila, they addded.
On February 4, BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir announced the march programme at the union level from a rally in front of the party's Nayapaltan central office.
"Our programmes this time will be at the union level. We will march at the union level across the country on Saturday, as part of the simultaneous movement to protest against the increase in prices of daily necessities, including gas electricity, rice and lentils and for the restoration of democracy, the resignation of the government and implementation of our 10-point demand," he said.
