Jamaat says 50 activists hurt as police baton-charge procession in Rangpur

The Jamaat-e-Islami said at least 50 of its activists were injured in Rangpur on Saturday (5 August) as police baton-charged a procession demanding a caretaker government system for the next national election and the release of its chief Shafiqur Rahman and other detained party members.

Police, however, said they dispersed the procession "peacefully". 

"Jamaat brought out a procession without permission to disrupt law and order in the metropolitan area. We dispersed them peacefully and detained eight people. Our drives to arrest more are going on," said Rangpur Metropolitan Police Additional Deputy Commissioner Utpal Kumar Roy.

Jamaat sources said the party's Rangpur Mahanagar unit, led by its chief ATM Azam Khan, staged a procession in the town. Police stopped them in front of the traffic box at the Supermarket intersection and baton-charged them for around 10 minutes.

The party claimed that more than 2,000 people participated in the rally.

Later, in a statement sent to the media, Jamaat said police baton-charged its peaceful march without any provocation, leaving 50 of its activists injured.

According to the statement, the party formally communicated with the metropolitan police commissioner in writing  on Thursday about the procession. 

The police were asked to make the procession peaceful, but they baton-charged the partymen instead to "implement the government's agenda", it said. 

Demanding the release of detained leaders and activists of the party, the statement also read no permission should be required from the police to carry out a movement in a democratic state.