Attacks on BNP programmes continue 

BNP programmes in different parts of the country kept coming under attacks by ruling Awami League men on Monday. 

Jashore District BNP office and former minister Tariqul Islam's house were attacked again on Monday (29 August). Some five rounds of gunfire were fired and the car of BNP leader Anindya Islam Amit was vandalised in the incident.

Earlier on Saturday, at least twenty people were injured in alleged attacks by ruling party-backed miscreants on the protest rallies of BNP in Khulna and Magura districts.

The opposition party also claimed that activists of the ruling Awami League and its student wing attacked the houses of four BNP leaders – Aninda Islam Amit, Syed Saberul Haque Sabu, Delwar Hossain Khokon and Mijanur Rahman Khan – in Jashore, vandalised its Khulna office, and locked its Munshiganj office on Friday.

Talking to TBS BNP's Khulna Divisional Organising Secretary Anindya Islam Amit told that 28 of their leaders and activists were arrested and sent to jail on Sunday. 

"On my way back home from the court, my car was vandalised in front of the police. Later, my house and district BNP office were attacked and vandalised," he said. 

"The attack took place under the leadership of Sadar Upazila Vice-Chairman of Jubo League Anwar Hossain Bipul and Jashore Municipality Councillors Milan, Nayan and Rajibul," the BNP leader alleged. 

When contacted, Anwar Hossain Bipul said, "We did not attack, we just resisted the BNP. Resistance will be created where ugly statements are made about Awami League President Sheikh Hasina." 

The series of attacks grew tension among the people of the region.

Meanwhile, a team of central BNP, led by its Standing Committee Members  Gayeshwar Chandra Roy and Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku, on Monday visited the vandalised houses of the four leaders.

When contacted, Jashore Additional Superintendent of Police Belal Hossain said there were some unpleasant incidents between Jubo League and BNP. "The situation, however, is now under control."

Meanwhile, police arrested 28 BNP leaders and activists on Saturday night in connection with the clashes between Awami League and BNP activists at the Rupdia Bazar of Jashore Sadar. 

"No one filed any complaint regarding the attacks on BNP office and Anindya Islam's house, which is why we are yet to arrest the offenders," Tajul Islam, officer-in-charge of Kotwali Police Station in Jashore, told reporters Monday evening.

Series clashes in Noakhali

BNP and Awami League activists got engaged in a clash in the Gazirhat market of Senbag upazila of Noakhali on Monday afternoon, when BNP people were on the way to attend a programme to protest price hikes of daily commodities and the recent killing of two BNP leaders in Bhola. 

At least 8 people, identities of whom could not be known immediately, were injured in the incident.  Besides, two shops in the market and the office of the union unit of the Awami League were vandalised.

Police fired a few rounds to control the situation. 

Earlier, in a drive between Sunday night and Monday morning, police arrested 12 leaders and activists of BNP and its different wings from Begumganj, Subarnachar, Sonaimuri and Sadar upazilas of Noakhali on charges of plotting sabotage.

They were arrested in three cases filed with Noakhali Sadar Police Station and one with Sonaimuri Police Station in connection with the recent clashes between Awami League and the BNP activists centring similar protest programmes.

More than 100 leaders and activists of both parties, including police, were injured in the clashes. A few cars, including police cars, were vandalised.

About 1,500 activists of the BNP have also been accused in the cases.

In Lakshmipur, leaders of the opposition BNP alleged that the ruling party has been calling programmes in their planned venues and time with an intention to bar their programmes.

AL leaders, however, said they have just been holding programmes as per their schedule for the month of mourning.

The Raipur upazila unit of the BNP called a rally at the Raipur Municipality Bus Terminal on 24 August to protest the price hikes of fuel oil, gas, and essential commodities, but it had to defer the programme to following a request of the authorities.

Finally, the local unit of the Awami League was allowed to organise their programme at the same venue, in which they protested the 21 August grenade attack. 

The BNP announced that they would hold the suspended programme on 29 August, but Awami League also announced another counter-programme on the same day. Like the previous incident, BNP was forced to withdraw their programme at midnight on 28 august. 

"We have made all preparations to hold the rally. But Awami League has called a counter programme which is why we had to backtrack to avoid chaos at the request of the administration," Advocate Monirul Islam Hawlader, Raipur BNP president, told The Business Standard Monday. 

"Why do they have to hold a rally on our planned day? Basically, it is a trick to halt the BNP programmes," he added. 

Raipur Upazila Awami League Organising Secretary Tanvir Haider Chowdhury Rinku, however, said they did not know whether there was any programme of BNP there on Monday. "We have held our mourning and protest march as was scheduled."

Another similar incident occurred at the Sadar upazila of the district – over a BNP programme at the Paler Haat area on 23 August. In the face of the ruling party's counter programme announcement there, BNP had to change their venue to another nearby area. 

On that day, AL activists were seen taking to the street with cricket stamps and GI pipes carrying the national flag. 

Central BNP Publicity Secretary Shahiduddin Chowdhury Annie while addressing their programme said Awami League activists took position on the road with indigenous weapons to disrupt their rally. He urged his party activists to come to next programmes in the way their opposition showed, so that they can counter any feared attack.

Police and RAB members were present in the areas to prevent any untoward event. 

Although there was no big occurrence there, the house of Shahiduddin Chowdhury Annie was attacked in the evening on the same day (23 August).

A total of four, including Any's brother and son, were injured in the attack. The attackers broke the windows, chairs, and air conditioner of the house. Annie was at BNP leader Abul Khair Bhuiyans' house at the time of the attack. 

To protest the incidents, the Kamalnagar upazila unit of the BNP has called a rally on Tuesday (30 August) and the Ramgati upazila unit on Wednesday (31 August).

Meanwhile, local units of the Awami League also announced their counter programmes.