26 injured as BNP demos against load-shedding come under attack
Protests were held nationwide by the BNP and its affiliated organizations on Thursday in Pabna, Khulna, Cumilla, Bogura, and Dhaka to express their discontent over the ongoing issue of load-shedding throughout the country.
During a procession in Pabna, at least 26 BNP members were injured in an alleged attack by activists of the Juba League and Chhatra League.
The attack took place when the BNP procession approached Latif Tower in Pabna city, where members of the Juba League, Chhatra League, and Secha Sebok League allegedly initiated the assault.
Among the injured were BNP Chairperson's adviser and Pabna district BNP convener, Habibur Rahman Habib, as well as senior joint convener Abdus Samad Khan Montu.
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Abdus Samad Khan Montu, Senior Joint Convener of Pabna district BNP, stated, "The Awami terrorist forces attacked our peaceful event all of a sudden in the presence of the police."
However, Rezaul Rahim Lal, president of the district Awami League, denied the attack and claimed that they were also holding a meeting. He alleged that BNP leaders and activists had planned to attack their event, leading their own members to defend themselves. He emphasized that there were no instructions to attack any opposition.
Pabna Additional Superintendent of Police (Sadar Circle), DM Hasibul Benazir, stated that there was chaos when the BNP leaders and activists passed by during the Chhatra League-Youth League rally. The police officer added that they were unaware if an attack had taken place.
In Khulna, BNP leaders and activists organised a sit-in programme outside the office of the West Zone Power Distribution Company at 11am. Led by Khulna district BNP convener Amir Ejaz Khan and member secretary SM Monirul Hasan Bappi, partymen handed over a memorandum to the managing director of the power company.
The protesting BNP leaders accused the Awami government of committing a serious offence by allowing corruption in the power sector. They criticised the ruling government for neglecting democracy and elections, focusing more on mega projects instead of addressing the basic needs of the people.
They called on the government to either put an end to load-shedding immediately or resign from their positions.
In Cumilla, leaders and activists of the district's South District BNP and affiliated organisations held a sit-in outside the electricity distribution office in protest against the intolerable load shedding and corruption prevalent in the electricity sector nationwide.
Subsequently, the BNP activists submitted a memorandum to the executive engineer of the district electricity office.
Meanwhile, in Bogura, BNP leaders and activists, along with affiliated groups, blocked a road in protest against load-shedding, demanding uninterrupted power supply.
Starting from the local BNP office at around 11am, a procession was carried out. However, when the procession reached the Northern Electricity Supply Company Limited (Nesco) office along the road beside the Shaheed Khokon Municipal Children's Udyan, the police intervened and stopped their progress.
Consequently, the BNP leaders and workers initiated a roadblock at that location.
Representatives from BNP, Juba Dal, and Chhatra Dal then went to the office of the Nesco and handed over a memorandum to its executive engineer, Abdul Monnaf.
In Dhaka, police obstructed a procession by the BNP, on its way to hold a sit-in programme in front of the capital's Bangladesh Power Development Board's office, to protest against the ongoing load-shedding across the country.
The party's leaders and activists started the procession from Paltan China Tower in the capital around 12:30pm on Thursday. Read more
Chattogram South District BNP staged a sit-in outside Agrabad electricity distribution office on Thursday as part of the party's nationwide programme against the unbearable load-shedding and corruption in the power sector.
Addressing the gathering, Chattogram South District BNP Convenor Abu Sufian said an extreme crisis has been created in the country's power generation and distribution system due to the government's unprecedented corruption in this sector.
He said around seven hours of load-shedding are experienced in a day while blaming the government's anti-people policy for the crisis.
