Demonstrators assault lone police officer amid clashes before July Charter signing

Amid vandalism and the police's use of tear gas and sound grenades ahead of the July Charter signing ceremony, demonstrators claiming to be "July Fighters" assaulted a lone police officer this afternoon (17 October).

According to witnesses and journalists present at the scene, police fired sound grenades and tear gas at around 2:30pm, causing many demonstrators to scatter, with several fleeing towards Khamarbari, Lalmatia and Dhanmondi 27 areas.

At around 3pm, some demonstrators found an isolated police constable alone in the Khamarbari area and beat him up, they said.

Commenting on the assault, Ibne Mizan, deputy commissioner of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police's Tejgaon Division, said police had to use tear gas and sound grenades to bring the situation under control. "However, attacking an unarmed police officer who was alone is completely unacceptable."

The situation around the Bangladesh Parliament largely returned to normal this afternoon following clashes between police and "July Fighters," ahead of the July National Charter signing ceremony.

Earlier, clashes ensued on Manik Mia Avenue as police baton-charged individuals who had gathered on the parliament premises under the banner of "July Fighters" to press home their three demands.

Police also hurled multiple rounds of sound grenades and tear-gas shells to disperse the crowd. Several people were injured in the clashes.

The demonstrators' demands are: the state must officially recognise those injured in the July Uprising and, in honour of their sacrifices and contributions, grant them the status of "July injured heroes"; the state must ensure legal protection and social security for the injured; and these demands should be included in the July National Charter 2025 and implemented swiftly.