45 hurt in Kushtia, Satkhira clashes

Gayebana Janaza held at Court Point in Sylhet. PHOTO: STAR

The congregation for Gayebana Janaza for Ivy Rahman was attacked in Hizja in Barisal.

In Rajshahi, Awami League (AL) activists attacked railway's Western Zone office yesterday morning for working during hartal hours.

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In Brahmanbaria, AL activists attacked the district information office and the municipal office yesterday. The Prime Minister's photo was tore down and damaged at the information office.

Our Barisal correspondent reports: The Gayebana Janaza of Ivy Rahman arranged by Awami at about 12.30 P M at Harinath Pur in Hizla upazila came under attack allegedly by a group of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (J C D) activist in presence of B N P leaders. The activists also ransacked the union A L office there.

Jubo League workers barricaded the Barisal-Khulna highway in Shatpakia in Jhalokati district.

Barring some stray incidents of violence, hartal was observed by and large peacefully in the districts.

Private airlines GMG suspended its Dhaka-Barisal flight and all vehicles kept off roads.

BCL leaders and workers bought out a procession in the town wearing burial dresses at about 9 AM.

Our Kushtia Correspondent reports: Police charged batons and fired blank shots to disperse an Awami League procession in Daulatpur Tuesday evening, injuring at least 30 party activists including former state minister for food Korban Ali.

AL leaders claimed that police attacked their peaceful procession when it was crossing the Ppazila Parishad building.

Police and upazila officials said they asked the AL leaders not to lead the procession through the road in front of the Upazila Parishad office as a group of Jatyiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) activists was preparing to bring out an anti-hartal procession.

But they ignored the request. Some angry AL activists pelted stones at police and upazila administration officials and also attacked the upazila education office.

Police and JCD activists chased the AL men, triggered a clash.

AL activists also manhandled the Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) and the Officer-in-Charge of Daulatpur thana.

Former state minister Korban Ali and seven others -- Harez Uddin, Mujibur Master, Majnu, Nara Kha, Selim, Yuakub Ali and Murad -- were admitted to Daulatpur Upazila Health Complex.

Police arrested AL activist Yakub Ali and later filed a case against 55 AL leaders and activists.

Our Staff Correspondent reports from Rajshahi: Pro- hartal picketers attacked railway's Western Zone office at 11.30 am and ransacked several rooms for working during hartal.

Rajshahi virtually turned into a city of processions by AL, Jubo League and BCL. There was a chase and counter-chase between police and pickets in Binodhpur

Our Satkhira Correspondent reports: At least 15 people including Satkhira district Awami League convenor Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Sadar thana AL president SM Shawkat Hossain and party leaders Sheikh Nasim, Ahmed and Sheikh Shahid Uddin were injured in a clash with police near the Al office in the town during hartal yesterday.

Police said they swung into action when some processionists pelted stones at a police van and damaged its windshields.

AL and its front organisations brought out processions in the town and held a rally in front of the party office, urging the people to launch a movement to dislodge the government.

The rally was addressed by, among others, Sheikh Abu Nasim, Abu Ahmed, Sheikh Sahiduddin, Mahmud Ali Suman and Abdul Mannan.

Our Brahmanbaria Correspondent reports: Angry Awami League processionists attacked the district information office, ransacked some rooms, tore down the photo of Prime Minister Khalada Zia and damaged it during hartal yesterday. They also swooped on the municipal office and ransacked some rooms, breaking tables and chairs.

Earlier on Tuesday evening, AL activists damaged a BNP office at Sarail.

All shops, schools remained closed till toon yesterday.

Unlike on Tuesday, train movement through Brahmanbaria was normal yesterday.

Our Gaibandha Correspondent reports: Train movement resumed Tuesday night after restoration of communication with Lalmonirhat control room that was snapped at 10 am on the day as pro-hartal elements locked the office.

But all trains ran behind schedule yesterday.

District Awami League at a meeting at the Shahead Minar during yesterday's hartal hours condoled the death of Awami Mohila League chief Ivy Rahman.

Al and its front organisations brought out several processions in the town demanding resignation of the government and punishment to the culprits responsible for Saturday's grenade attack on the party rally in Dhaka.

Our Netrakona Correspondent reports: Activists of Awami League and its front organisations wearing black badges brought out several processions in the hartal-bound town yesterday.

Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD), student wing of ruling BNP, also brought out anti-hartal processions and tried to open shops forcibly.

On Tuesday night, a group of JCD activists attacked at the house of Chandan Biswas, vice-president of Netrakona district Awami League at Satpain in the town with sharp weapons.

They beat the Al leader and ransacked the house, party sources claimed.

Police arrested ten AL activists from different place of the town Tuesday night.

AL also held a Gaybana Janaza for Ivy Rahman in front of the town yesterday.

All shops, offices and educational institute remained closed during the hartal.

Our Rangpur Correspondent reports: Rangpur turned into a town of processions as leaders and activists of Awami League and its front organisations, together with like-minded parties poured on streets, chanting various slogans demanding the government's resignation.

They brought out processions and held rallies during the hartal hours. Similar programmes were also organised at different upazilas. But no major untoward incident was reported.

The district Ayinjibi Samiti (lawyers' association) also held a protest rally at the Court Square in the morning.

Our Gopalganj Correspondent reports: Awami league held a Gayebana Zanaza for Mohila Awami League leader Ivy Rahman and a condolence meeting in front of district AL office yesterday.

Speaker at the meeting bitterly criticised the government for sheltering fundamentalists, accusing them of doing violence in the country to destroy the spirit of the Liberation War.

Earlier, AL, Jubo League, Mohila League, Chhatra League and lawyers brought out processions in the town demanding resignation of the government. No untoward incident was reported.