Police use sound grenades, water cannons, batons to disperse protesters following arson, vandalism at JaPa office
Highlights:
- Around 6:30, the arson attack took place as 7-8 individuals set the office front ablaze, prompting police action
- Police used sound grenades, water cannons, and baton charges to disperse the crowd
- Earlier, Jatiyo Party held a meeting and vacated the area around 5 pm
- Police protected Jatiyo Party leaders and property during the unrest
Police used sound grenades and water cannons and charged batons to disperse protesters from Kakrail after they vandalised and carried out an arson attack on the Jatiyo Party Central Office.
Members of the police and alleged supporters of Gono Odhikar Parishad Nurul Haque Nur locked into a clash at the Bijoy Nagar area, our correspondent reports from the scene.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
Speaking to The Business Standard, Ramna Police Station Officer-in-Charge Golam Faruk alleged that 7-8 individuals, allegedly activists of the Gono Odhikar Parishad, carried out an arson attack in front of the Jatiyo Party office.
"To bring the situation under control, we used water cannons and sound grenades," the OC said.
By around 8pm, the fire in the office was doused and the situation was brought under control.
Saved by police, JaPa leaders say
Jatiyo Party Dhaka District Organising Secretary Laizul Islam said, "Today, we had a representative meeting of Mymensingh and Dhaka districts. We were carrying out the programme under the leadership of the Secretary-General. Around 5pm, the police asked us to leave the area in front of the office, and we complied."
He alleged that around 6:30pm, Gono Odhikar Parishad leaders and activists barged into their office, vandalised it, and set it on fire.
At the time of the fire, no Jatiyo Party men were inside the office as it was locked.
Jubaer Alam Khan Robin, joint secretary of Jatiyo Party's central committee, said, "The [police] administration saved us and protected our properties during yesterday's and today's incidents."
He added that his party was grateful to the authorities for this.
Describing the events, he said the party chairman and others had been in the office since noon.
"Members of the police were present in front of the office. In the evening, many went for Maghrib prayers. At that time, unrest broke out and stones were thrown towards the office," Jubaer said.
He added, "The administration asked the protesters to step back, saying, 'Step away, we are watching'. The authorities tried to disperse the crowd. Within two to three minutes, water cannons were being used. Later, we saw that the police charged batons."
Earlier, leaders and activists of the Gono Odhikar Parishad held a demonstration in Dhaka's Purana Paltan area this afternoon (30 August) near its central office to protest yesterday's attack on the party's president, Nurul Haque Nur.
Attack on Nur: Gono Odhikar Parishad demands ban on JaPa, home adviser's resignation
