BCL Attack Sparks Protest

Traders at Parshuram on strike

18 August 2009, 17:00 PM

A Correspondent, Feni

Shop owners at Parshuram upazila headquarters pulled their shutters down at 5:00pm yesterday and went on strike protesting attack, ransacking and looting of two business firms by Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) activists. Five people were injured during the violent incidents at noon. Locals and traders said as a sequel to the conflict between two feuding groups at Parshuram, a group of Chhatra League cadres led by Noor Hossain and Yusuf beat up Mirzapur union Jubo League convenor Md Masud and Rubel when they were going to Parshuram Bazar in an autorickshaw. They also damaged the three-wheeler. In protest, the supporters of Masud and Rubel beat up Chhatra League worker Rajib on the same spot. Besides, they attacked Anwar Poultry at the market and assaulted its owner Mozammel. The supporters of Masud and Rubel also attacked and ransacked another shop--Fakir Store owned by Fakir Kamal. They broke the cash box of the shop and looted Tk 94,000, the traders alleged. Parshuram Traders' Association immediately closed the shops and called an indefinite strike from 5:00pm. The officer-in-charge (OC) of Fulglazi Police Station Himangshu Chandra Nath was called in to face the situation as the OC of Parshuram Police Station was on leave. Himangshu discussed the situation with Parshuram Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Nirmal Kanti Chakma and called a 'compromise meeting'. The OC, the UNO, upazila chairman Kamal Uddin and Parshuram Traders' Association President Abu Taleb were holding a meeting as of filing of this report at 7:30 pm yesterday.