Attacks on BNP rallies, activists in several districts

Ruling Awami League-backed miscreants have continued their attacks on BNP rallies and processions in different parts of the country, leaving several people injured.

Law enforcement barred BNP from holding pre-scheduled rallies in Munshiganj and the administration issued section 144 in Noakhali to avert confrontation as the ruling party announced their rallies at the same location at around the same time.

 In Cumilla, Titas upazila BNP planned a rally at the upazila sadar as part of their central programme.

BNP units in districts and upazilas have been staging processions, rallies, and human chains, protesting fuel and commodity price hikes and the deaths of their two activists in Bhola.

"Awami League activists foiled their programme, attacking them with bamboo sticks," according to Titas Upazila BNP General Secretary Osman Gani Bhuiyan.

He went on to say that supporters of the Awami League and affiliated organisations took up positions in nearby upazila sadar areas since last night to prevent the BNP from holding a rally.

At one stage, they chased BNP leaders and activists in various places of the district town when they tried to march towards the rally venue, leaving at least 15 people injured. 

Titas police station officer-in-charge, Sudhin Chandra Das, said they were informed about chases and counter chases between BNP and Awami League men, but did not receive any formal complaint. Additional police have been deployed in the area.

In Munshiganj's Gazaria upazila, police barred the BNP from holding their protest procession in the Bhoberchar College road area on Tuesday.

Restricted by law enforcement, BNP leaders and activists held a short rally at the venue and left the place. 

However, four people were injured in a reported attack by Awami League leaders and activists on BNP men on their way to Gazaria upazila to join the party's protest rally on Tuesday.

Of the injured, Gazaria upazila Jubo Dal Assistant General Secretary Mohiuddin Ahmed was admitted to the upazila health complex, while three others, including CNG auto-rickshaw driver Ripon Mia, were given first aid. 

In Noakhali, police, in overnight drives in Sadar, Senbag and Chatkhil upazilas, arrested 21 people in two cases over a clash that erupted between BNP and Awami League on Monday.

Superintendent of Noakhali police, Md Shahidul Islam, said the arrested were in trial court on Tuesday afternoon.

Of the two cases, Awami League filed one while the police lodged another one, making around 450 BNP leaders and activists accused for the clash between two parties, vandalising shops and the Dumuria union BNP office, and creating anarchy.

Awami League and BNP activists locked in a clash at Senbag upazila of the district following an attack by ruling party supporters on the opposition activists on Monday, leaving at least 20 people injured.

Noakhali's Begumganj upazila administration issued section 144 when ruling Awami League and BNP both announced their rallies at the same location around the same time.

The BNP had a pre-planned programme at Chaumohani stadium protesting fuel and commodity price hikes. However, the Awami League announced a rally at the same venue to prevent the BNP programme.

To avert confrontation, the administration issued a ban on any programmes there from 6:00am to 8:0pm on Wednesday, said Begumganj UNO, Shamsun Nahar.

Meanwhile, in Rangamati, BNP held a protest rally in front of its district office on Tuesday on the occasion of International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances.

At the rally, Central BNP Organising Secretary Mahbubur Rahman Shamim and other BNP leaders demanded an international enquiry of every incidence of enforced disappearances.

Criticising the stopping of BNP's democratic programmes by issuing Section 144 without any provocation, and the attack and arrest of its leaders and activists, Rangamati BNP leaders, said, "You (the government) cannot stay in state power by issuing Section 144."