Mirza Fakhrul stopped from going to BNP's Nayapaltan office
Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir was stopped by the members of law enforcement forces from entering party's central office in the capital's Nayapaltan on Thursday (8 December).
Police said no one would be allowed to enter until they finished their work at the crime scene.
"Bombs were thrown at police from there. We consider that place as 'Place of Occurrence'. CID is working on the crime scene. No one can go there until the work is done," police said.
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Mirza Fakhrul was stopped by the police near the Nightingale intersection around 11am in the morning.
Meanwhile, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said that there were no explosives in the BNP Office.
"I am the general secretary of the party. The police did not let me go to my party office. Instead, they are completely lying. Talking like a political party leader. They have planted bombs and sticks there. They are the ones who planned those there to disrupt BNP's peaceful assembly. There was no bomb or anything like that in BNP office. If the general secretary of a party cannot go to office then how can there be democracy here?" he said.
He demanded the release of those who have been arrested and an investigation into the death of the BNP activist who was killed during Wednesday's clash.
"I strongly condemn and protest this incident. Also, I hold the government responsible. We demand immediate withdrawal of the police from the party office, allowing a peaceful rally on 10 December and the release of those who have been detained," he said.
Following the clash and police action in Nayapaltan yesterday, a tense situation is prevailing in the area. Traffic movement has remained disrupted in the area since Wednesday night.
No one is being allowed to enter the area without ID as police set up barricades at the Nightingale intersection in Bijoynagar and Fakirapool crossings. No vehicles were seen in front of the BNP office.
A huge number of armoured law enforcers and police vehicles remained deployed in the area.
Law enforcement forces have installed CCTV cameras from Fakirapool Junction to Nightangle junction.
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir also went to see Mokbul Hossain's body at Dhaka Medical College and Hospital morgue. Mokbul Hossain, the joint convener of Pallabi ward no. 5, was killed in front of Nayapaltan BNP Central Office during yesterday's clash.
Mirza Fakhrul consoled Mokbul Hossain's wife Halima and daughter Mitula and provided financial support. During his visit, Mirza Fakhrul was accompanied by BNP Health Affairs Secretary Doctor Rafiqul Islam.
Police and BNP activists clashed in front of the party's Nayapaltan headquarters in the capital on Wednesday amid political tensions brewing ahead of the BNP's 10 December Dhaka rally.
Following the clashes that lasted more than three hours on Wednesday afternoon, at least 20 persons were brought to Dhaka Medical College Hospital till 8pm, according to Bachchu Mia, a police inspector and also in-charge of Dhaka Medical College Hospital police outpost.
Police cordoned off the Nayapaltan BNP office, where the party plans to hold the political gathering after a series of divisional rallies across the country.
Dozens of BNP leaders and activists, including the party's Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, Publicity Secretary Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Annie, former Chhatra Dal president Abdul Kader Bhuiyan Jewel and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia's Special Assistant Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas, were among those detained from the scene on Wednesday.
