Staff Correspondent:
Dhaka, Aug-27,
BNP activists clashed with police in front of
Chandrima Udyan in the city on Tuesday while visiting Ziaur Rahman's grave
after the formation of new city committees.
The clash broke out
around 10:30 am when the newly-formed convening committees of BNP's Dhaka city
north and south units went to place wreaths at the grave of the party's founder
Ziaur Rahman.
The new committees went
to Chandrima Udyan to place wreaths at Zia's grave at 11 am on Tuesday.
Witnesses said some
leaders and activists, including Aminul Haque, a member secretary of the BNP's
Metropolitan North Committee and a former national team footballer, gathered at
the park around 10:45 am. Then the police prevented them from going inside.
At that time, the
police had an argument with Aminul Haque. At one stage, the police charged
batons on them and fired teargas shells.
Aminul Hauqu, Convener
of Dhaka Metropolitan north unit of BNP, said, "We've come here today to
offer fateha at Ziaur Rahman's grave. But the police are not allowing us to
stay there. At one point, police fired teargas shells and rubber bullets on us."
Jane Alam Munsi,
officer-in-charge of Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station, said, "The BNP
activists were entering the field of Trade Fair which is they were not allowed
to do. As there was an internal feud among BNP groups over forming the new
convening committees, they started throwing brick chips on the police."
Later, police fired
teargas shells and rubber bullets on them.
Eight-10 policemen,
including DC, ADC and AC were injured in the clash, said the OC.
After the clash, BNP
secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir visited the spot.
He told the journalists
that this government has completely got aleniated from people. That is why they
want to suppress this democratic movement by torturing us by the police, he
added.
"We believe this
government can be defeated through a united movement of people. We hope our new
committee will lead the movement," Fakhrul added.
He said, "We
strongly condemn these repressive acts by the government and the police."
End/Dct/Abu/Sma/
