30 hurt as Jamaat-Shibir men clash with cops
Some 30 people, including four policemen, were injured after leaders and activists of Jamaat-e-Islami and pro-Jamaat student organisation Islami Chhatra Shibir clashed with police in the capital's Motijheel and Shyamoli and in Gaibandha district yesterday.
In Motijheel, the Jamaat-Shibir men damaged at least six vehicles while police detained six of them.
After the clash, Jamaat's Gaibandha office in David Company area was torched and two nearby Shibir-controlled students' messes were vandalised allegedly by activists of pro-Awami League student organisation Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL).
Witnesses said some 400 Jamaat-Shibir men brought out a procession near Fakirerpool around 10:30am protesting against sexual harassment and terrorism by BCL activists.
The clash ensued when police gave chase, with Jamaat-Shibir men throwing brick chips and police retaliating by firing rubber bullets and teargas canisters and charging baton.
The clash near Shyamoli Bus Stand ensued when police intercepted another procession brought out by Jamaat-Shibir men.
The Gaibandha clashes erupted when police intercepted a procession brought out by Jamaat-Shibir men at Station Bazar Road in the town demanding immediate release of their detained leaders, reports our Gaibandha correspondent.
Chases and counter chases took place where the agitators hurled brick chips at police while the latter fired eight rubber bullets and four teargas canisters and charged baton to disperse the agitators.
At least 14 Shibir activists and four policemen sustained injuries.
Shibir's Gaibandha unit President Faisal Kabir Rana claimed that BCL men carried out the vandalism with police help.
Gaibandha Additional Superintendent of Police Mosharaf Hossain said the activists in the procession were armed with various weapons.
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