BNP rallies attacked at several places

As BNP party workers across the country came under a hail of tear gas and shotgun shells on Saturday again, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir at a protest rally in the capital declared, "We won't be defeated by any means this time…we must win this time and we have no choice…". 

While he was addressing the crowd, clashes between party workers and police were already taking place in Kishoreganj and Netrokona as BNP ramped up its demonstrations to protest the killing of Jubo Dal leader Shaon in Narayanganj last Thursday.

At the same time, a flurry of cases were also opened against BNP activists and leaders. 

In Kishoreganj, the BNP claimed that hundreds of its workers were injured in clashes with police.

Police claim BNP leaders and activists instigated the clashes by throwing brickbats at law enforcers when they were halted from holding a rally they did not have permission for.

The BNP had called the rally in Pakundia upazila in the morning to protest price hikes of daily commodities and fuel, and the killing of three of its leaders.

According to locals, when the party's processions reached the venue at Syedgaon intersection, police stopped them. 

At one stage, the police baton-charged the protestors to disperse them and the BNP leaders and activists retaliated by hurling brickbats. 

The police then fired tear gas and rubber bullets.

Jalal Uddin, the upazila BNP convener, said police had attacked the peaceful rally and left hundreds of party workers injured.

Additional Police Superintendent of Kishoreganj Sadar Circle Al Amin, however, said the rally did have permission and BNP leaders and activists had obstructed government work. 

Meanwhile, Awami League leaders and activists attacked the biennial conference of BNP in Barhatta Upazila of Netrokona yesterday, vandalising the programme stage and setting it on fire. 

A protest procession of the AL had swooped on the BNP programme in the afternoon.

Officer-in-Charge of Barhatta police station Lutful Haq said legal action will be taken if any complaint is received.

Netrokona had been restive since the BNP and police clashed on Thursday, leading to charges against a number of people. Yesterday, 12 people, including Abdullah Al Mamun Khan, senior vice president of the Jubo Dal were arrested in connection with the cases filed for obstructing government work and attacking police.  

In Thakurgaon, at least 25 BNP activists were injured in clashes with police and Awami League activists. BNP claimed houses of their activists and leaders were set on fire and their offices were vandalised. 

Who gave the orders?

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, speaking as the chief guest at a protest rally organised by the Dhaka Metropolitan north and south initiative in the capital, said, "We want to make it clear that the peaceful anniversary of the party in Narayanganj was fired upon."

He warned that Shaon's death be investigated and the policemen involved prosecuted, otherwise the BNP would not sit back. 

Fakhrul also said their one demand was the removal of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.  

BNP Standing Committee member Mirza Abbas said, "The police did not shoot like this without instructions. Someone gave the order."

He said the protests could not be stopped by using bullets and throwing dead bodies.

Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, BNP Standing Committee member, said the constitutional duty of the police was to protect the lives and property of the people of the state, but a section of the police was instead firing upon the people. 

Arrest spree continues in Noakhali

Joint General Secretary of Noakhali's Sonaimuri Upazila Chhatra League, Redwan Bhuiyan, filed another case against BNP following a clash between AL and BNP on 27 August 27.

So far, 17 cases accusing 4,500 people, mostly BNP activists, have been filed, with 130 arrested, our Noakhali correspondent reports.   

Sonaimuri Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Harun Ur Rashid confirmed the latest case, saying it had named 175 people, with 400-500 unnamed. 

The named include Sonaimuri municipality BNP convenor Motaher Hossain Mani, former upazila BNP convener Anwar Hossain Kamal and BNP Central Joint Secretary General Barrister Mahbub Uddin. 

Three workers have been arrested over the case.

On 27 August, BNP had taken out a procession in Sonaimuri as part of the central party's countrywide protests against the increase in the price of essentials. 

The protest rally had clashed with AL leaders and activists, leaving hundreds, including police, injured.

According to the BNP, in August more than 550 leaders and activists were arrested and about 47 cases filed.

The BNP has also since claimed that at least 22 of its programmes have been attacked by police and ruling party men.

The ruling AL has maintained that the BNP has been spreading anarchy in the name of their movements.

From 22 August, the BNP also held a protest programme outside Dhaka at the district, upazila and union levels. From then until last 31 August, news came of AL activists and police clashing with the BNP protests.

From 22 to 31 August, 52 programmes of the BNP were attacked and the houses of BNP leaders and activists were attacked in 18 places.

Section 144 was imposed in eight upazilas due to counter-programmes of the two parties.