Police obstruct protest programme at Ctg Court premises
Protesters march for justice defying police barricade
Police obstructed an Anti-discrimination Student Movement programme this morning (31 July) as it was heading to the Chattogram court premises.
Later, the protesters enforced their "March for Justice" programme defying a police barricade and took position at the court premises.
A faction of pro-BNP lawyers joined the protest in solidarity with the student protesters. The pro-government faction of the lawyers were also at the spot, our correspondent reports from the spot.
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Police personnel were deployed at the scene.
The protesters gathered in front of Zila Parishad Bhaban in the Laldighi area under Kotwali police station around 11am and started chanting slogans while blocking the road.
Initially, police gave them an ultimatum to clear the road within half an hour.
Around noon, a group of pro-BNP lawyers brought out a procession from the Court Hill area and joined the protesters. Later, the protesters, along with the lawyers, entered the Court Hill, defying the police barricade.
Our correspondent reported from the spot that hundreds of protesters and pro-BNP lawyers had taken position in front of Dowel Bhaban in Court Hill and kept chanting slogans.
Police closed off the entire area to avoid any untoward situation.
General Secretary of Chittagong District Bar Association, Advocate Ashraf Hossain Chowdhury Razzak, declared solidarity with the movement of students and said, "I am declaring solidarity with this movement of students. We want a peaceful movement. I have told the police administration on behalf of the association that there will be no anarchy here."
Advocate Iftekher Saimum Chowdhury, the public prosecutor of Chattogram district, said, "We are at the spot to observe the situation, and the protesters cannot create any anarchy."
Additional Commissioner of Chattogram Metropolitan Police (Administration and Finance) AS Mahtab Uddin, Kotwali Zone Assistant Commissioner (AC) Atnu Chakraborty, Kotwali Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Obaidul Haque are present at the scene. No one has agreed to make any comment about the movement.
The "March for Justice" programme was called as a part of the protesters' pre-announced programme to press nine-point demand.
