50 hurt as police, Bangalees clash at Syedpur

Police fired 45 tear gas shells and as many rubber bullets during the clashes that began in late afternoon and continued till about 11 at night.

Nine of the injured policemen were admitted to Nilphamari and Syedur hospitals. Three of them constables Lokman Hossain, Elias Ali and Aminul Islam-- were later sifted to Rangpur Medical College Hospital as their conditions deteriorated, district administration sources said. The injured police personnel include three women SI Rupsha and constables Arzina Begum (25) and Hosne Ara.

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The injured civilians are taking treatment at private clinics. They are avoiding government hospitals fearing arrest, local people said.

Police yesterday lodged a case and started indiscriminate arrest, local people alleged. Local Bangalees are fleeing homes to avoid arrest, they said.

The Bangalees are agitating for about two months for allotment of houses in the government's newly built 'Uttara Housing Project' but the local administration says those are only for Beharis.

Bangalees in villages around Syedpur town had a pre-scheduled 'long march' towards the project on Sunday to press their demand.

At about 2 am on Sunday, police arrested their leader Dr Abul Hasan Bulu.

As the news spread, people from the villages began to gather at Wapda Natun Hat near the project.

At 2 pm, they brought out a big procession and came to the road at Dhelapur near the project. They then went on the Nilphamari-Dhaka highway and squatted, blocking it.

Several hundred stick-wielding people were seen stopping vehicles. About 100 vehicles became stranded, witnesses said.

A police team of about 12 led by SI Ashim and SI Rafiqul Islam persuaded the squatters to leave.

The squatters encircled them and confined them in a tea stall.

As another police team came, the demonstrators pelted stones, injuring two policemen.

At about 8.30 pm, another truckload of police and the Additional District Magistrate reached there. The ADM persuaded them to leave the road. But the demonstrators pelted stones at police, witnesses said.

Police then resorted to baton charge and fired rubber bullets and teargas shells. About 40 people were injured in the action.

Local people alleged that police also torched two thatched houses there.

At about 9 pm, the mob again swooped on police, injuring Syedpur UNO Shamsul Islam and ASP (circle) Ehsanul Haque and seven policemen.

Nilphamari Police Superintendent Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun later told this correspondent that 11 policemen were injured. He also said a rifle of a policemen was missing.

Injured ASP Ehsanul Haq and constables Rafiqul Islam, Antim Roy, Nurul Islam and Khalilur Rahman and the three policewomen are under treatment at Nilphamari Hospital.