4 killed, 300 hurt as violence continues

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Four people died and around 300 people were injured following violence between activists of Awami League (AL)-led 14-party alliance and the BNP-led four-party combine at different districts of the country yesterday.

AL activists allegedly murdered a Jamaat-e-Islami leader at Ashashuni upazila of Satkhira Sunday night. The fourth consecutive day of clashes saw the death toll rise to 28 with an AL activist succumbing to his injuries in Netrakona yesterday.

The dead were identified as Arman, 32, Jubo League activist of Maij Char of Sadar upazila in Kishoreganj, Zobed Ali, 55, Jamaat president of Khazura union of Ashashuni upazila in Satkhira, Jamirul Islam Jamu, vice-president of Kushtia town Jubo League, and Mir Kashem, 35, AL general secretary of Mohanganj municipality, who died yesterday in the hospital after he was injured in a clash on October 28.

Local administration of a number of districts imposed section 144 to avert violence. Party activists, however, violated the order and locked into clashes.

Meanwhile, a mob yesterday beat up former president of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal Shahabuddin Laltu and four others at Bhanga upazila in Faridpur, a correspondent in Faridpur reports.

Witness said the mob halted Laltu’s motorcade as it reached Shalildia of Maligram in Bhanga upazila around 5:30pm. He was heading for Dhaka from Bhola.

“Laltu fired a shot in the air to make his way through the mob which deteriorated the situation,” a witness said.

The mob chased down the three four-wheel-drive vehicles of Laltu’s motorcade as those tried to escape the blockade.

Laltu and his four companions jumped into a pond to escape the mob wrath but the mob caught them and beat them up with sticks. They also set fire to the three vehicles.

The injured five were rushed to Faridpur General Hospital and were being shifted to Dhaka as this report was being filed last night.

RAJSHAHI
At least 100 people were injured in Rajshahi city yesterday when armed Islami Chhatra Shibir cadres attacked a 14-party coalition procession and police charged truncheons to stop the battling parties from fighting, our staff correspondent in Rajshahi reports.

The city’s Shaheb Bazar, Kumarpara, Ganakpara, Mianpara, Sona Dighi square, and Hatim Khan areas turned into battlefields in the afternoon.

The battling parties traded around 50 shots and exploded 20 crude bombs. They also vandalised over 50 shops, offices and banks at Shaheb Bazar area. Law enforcers lobbed 70 tear-gas canisters and resorted to charging truncheons on them to quell the situation.

The clashes erupted when Shibir cadres hurled two crude bombs on a Workers’ Party, a coalition partner of 14-party, procession near a police barricade set up to protect a Shibir rally at Shaheb Bazar Zero Point.

Workers’ Party Politburo Member Fazle Hossain Badsha, who was leading the procession from Ganakpara, received splinter injuries in his leg.

Awami League (AL) activists rushed to the scene with oars in their hands following the attack. Shibir cadres then fled towards the Sona Dighi intersection area.

The Shibir cadres returned a little later and attacked the 14-party workers there. A large number of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) men rushed to the spot and charged truncheons indiscriminately. Photojournalist Rumi and Adil, Rajshahi bureau reporter of Dainik Inqilab, were injured during the truncheon charge.

Over 100 Rab members and several hundred policemen cordoned off the area. They raided houses, shops, hotels and even the Rajshahi Metropolitan Press Club following the clash.

Badsha told reporters that the Shibir attack on them was pre-planned.

Shibir Publicity Secretary Emajuddin Mondol, however, claimed that the 14-party men attacked the Shibir men and around 20 Shibir activists were injured in the incident.

Swechchhasebak League Publicity Secretary Subhas Sarkar, Rajpara Moitree President Alfaz and Bangladesh Chhatra League worker Babu were treated at a city clinic while 15 others were admitted to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital.

Additional forces of Rab and police were patrolling the city following the clash.

KISHOREGANJ
One Jubo League leader was shot dead while 100 others were injured, eight critically, during a gun-battle between AL and BNP activists at Bajitpur upazila in Kishoreganj last evening.

Around 200 BNP men attacked the residences of AL activists leading to the clash that left Arman, the Jubo League leader, dead on the spot.

At least 30 AL and BNP activists were injured in a clash between the two parties at Koliarchar upazila in the district after BNP men attacked and looted about 30 more residences and establishments belonging to the AL workers and people of the minority communities.

In another incident, AL activists tried to attack the house of former education minister M Osman Farruk at Karimganj upazila and ransacked three shops owned by BNP men.

Meanwhile, villagers detained an alleged cadre of former BNP lawmaker Mojibur Rahman Monju with firearms and foiled his attempt to kill an AL leader in Bajitpur early yesterday.

SATKHIRA
Awami League (AL) activists allegedly murdered a Jamaat leader at Ashashuni upazila in Satkhira Sunday night, our Satkhira correspondent reports.

The dead was identified as Zobed Ali, 55, of village Kapsanda and Jamaat president of the Khazura union of the same upazila.

Quoting locals, police said the assailants attacked Zobed and his son Abu Bakar in front of Gadaipur Primary School as they were returning from a party meeting in Ashashuni on a motorbike. The miscreants hacked them indiscriminately and left the scene.

Zobed was taken to Satkhira Sadar Hospital where on-duty doctor declared him dead around 12:30am.

Contacted, Ashashuni Upazila Jamaat leader Prof Abdus Sabur accused AL activists of the murder and demanded arrest and punishment of the killers.

However, Ashashuni upazila AL president and former lawmaker Mokhlesur Rahman and General Secretary Shahidul Islam Pintu refuted the allegation and demanded punishment to the killers after a neutral investigation.

Meanwhile, the incident triggered widespread violence in the town yesterday when Jamaat activists ransacked local AL office at Katia Bazar and several shops at New Market.

Section 144 was imposed in Parulia Bazar in Debhata upazila for an indefinite period after the BNP activists attacked and torched the Parulia union AL office. At least 30 AL activists were also injured in the attack.

Local AL unit held a meeting at Katia Bazar yesterday afternoon to protest the vandalism by the Jamaat activists.

KUSHTIA
Unknown men called Jamirul over telephone and asked him to go to a place known as Nishan Crossing. They gunned him down around 9:00pm last night.

AL claimed BNP men killed him for his role in the 14-party programmes during the last three days agitations.

NETRAKONA
At least 30 AL and BNP activists were injured in sporadic clashes between the parties at Durgapur upazila in the district from Sunday night to yesterday midday.

AL activists on Sunday night vandalised and looted at least 20 houses and 15 business centres owned by BNP leaders and activists at different places of Durgapur upazila.

>TANGAIL
Around 15 activists were injured, one motorcycle torched, 17 shops vandalised and burned during clashes between the AL and BNP supporters at different places in Tangail.

NOAKHALI
Around 10 activists of 14-party combine and four-party alliance were injured in a clash which triggered after AL leaders beat up a BNP activist at Chatkhil yesterday.

THAKURGAON
At least 10 people were injured in Pirganj upazila in Thakurgaon following a clash between BNP and Jatiya Party when BNP former minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir appeared to inaugurate a bridge in Pirganj.

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