Left Parties' No to Power Price Hike
25 protesters hurt in police action near Secretariat
Police prevent activists of the Left from laying siege to the energy ministry yesterday. The programme was called to protest government move to hike power price. Photo: STAR
Some 25 leaders and activists of left-leaning parties sustained injuries, one allegedly from gunshot, yesterday when police charged truncheon and fired teargas to foil their attempt to lay siege to the power, energy and mineral resources ministry. Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB), Bangladesher Samajtantrik Dal (BSD) and Gonotantrik Bam Morcha, an alliance of some left-leaning parties, on Saturday declared to lay the siege in protest of the government initiative to hike power prices. Saikat Mallik, general secretary of Bangladesh Chhatra Federation, was admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital in critical condition after sustaining bullet injuries to his leg, claimed the morcha leaders. Dhaka Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner (AC) (Ramna zone) Shibli Noman said police fired no gunshot during the incident. Witnesses said a procession of the morcha from before Jatiya Press Club around 11:00am was stopped at a police barricade before a gate of Bangladesh Secretariat, on the press club's eastern side. At one point, police launched the attack and the activists retaliated by pelting brick chips. The clashes forced CPB and BSD to relocate their demonstration from before the press club. The morcha Coordinator Junaid Saki declared to stage demonstrations before the press club and around the country tomorrow afternoon. They will go for tougher agitation programmes like hartal if the government did not retract its decision, he said. CPB and BSD also announced to stage demonstrations today afternoon before the press club. The police assistant commissioner said police wanted to help in observing a peaceful programme but the activists broke the police barricade. “We dispersed them for the sake of the secretariat's security.â€
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