10 hurt as hawkers, shop owners clash in capital
Dhaka-Ctg road in Iliatganj blocked for 4hrs as cops pick up shop owners' president
A policeman falls flat to the ground after being hit by a brickbat on Bangabandhu Avenue in the capital yesterday. A clash between hawkers and traders in the afternoon injured at least ten people, including two cops. One of the wounded police personnel, who were rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital initially, was later shifted to intensive care unit of Square Hospitals. Photo: Courtesy
At least ten people, including two policemen, were injured in a clash between hawkers and shop owners at Bangabandhu Avenue in the capital's Gulistan yesterday. The injured police personnel are Motalib Bhuiyan, 42, assistant sub-inspector of Paltan Police Station, and Mohammad Ilias, 25, a constable. Both of them were initially rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital. Motalib was later shifted to the intensive care unit of Square Hospitals Limited. Police detained Jahangir Alam Sarkar, president of Ramna Bhaban Businessmen and Shop Owners Association, in this connection but released him around 9:00pm. Witnesses said Jahangir had an altercation with a hawker around 3:00pm over a space, in front of Ramna Bhaban, on which he wanted to park his car but was occupied by the hawker. When other hawkers protested the incident, a group of businessmen led by Jahangir assaulted the hawkers selling garments and shoes on the footpath around Ramna Bhaban, which led to the clash. At one point, the two groups started hurling brick chips at each other. On information, police rushed to the spot to diffuse the situation. The two policemen were injured as they tried to intervene. Makbulur Rahman, sub-inspector of Paltan Police Station, said Motalib was on duty from 8:00am to 8:00pm yesterday in the area. “When the clash broke out he was called over wireless with others to go there and bring the situation under control. But he sustained injuries on his head in the clash,” he added. After the clash, the hawkers held agitation programmes protesting the attack on them by the businessmen. They stopped after police detained Jahangir. The businessmen were irate that hawkers had occupied the footpaths around Ramna Bhaban and other markets of the area, locals said. A case was filed in this connection. Meanwhile, protesting the detention of Jahangir, local Awami League leaders and activists blockaded Dhaka-Chittagong Highway at Iliatganj area for four hours from 5:00pm to 9:00pm, reports a Daudkandi correspondent. Masuk Mia, highway police sergeant of Iliatganj, said the agitators were requested several times to lift the blockade but they did not pay any heed. “They lifted the blockade after hearing of Jahangir's release,” he said. Jahangir had lost the last parliamentary election while contesting from Muradnagar constituency in Comilla.
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