At least three person were killed and 200 others hospitalised with bullet injuries, 40 of them with critical wounds, in clash of police and Awami League activists with Hefazat-e-Islam activists at the Paltan intersection throughout yesterday. Thousands of shots were fired by police and some activists under their cover while Hefazat activists responded with throwing of brickbats, setting fire to tyres, some wayside shops and the nearby office of the Communist Party of Bangladesh.Hefazat activists vowed to continue movement till their 13-point demand including restoration of absolute faith and trust in Almighty Allah in the Constitution was restored, as AL general secretary threatened them with dire consequences if they did not leave the venue at the Motijheel Commercial Area, the commercial district of the city. Hefazat activists who laid seige of the city at more than ten points of entry to the city fron the morning were granted permission at noon to hold their rally at the venue.
Earlier all inter-district road transports went off roads since Friday midnight in an apparent bid to restrict the movement of Hefazar activists to the city. Hefazat organisers claimed two million activists took part in yesterday’s siege. They struggled to control the crowd when a body of a slain activist was carried near the podium, and offered munajat before the Magreb prayer seeking divine blessings for succes of their movement. They demanded capital punishment of bloggers who made blasphemous postings in internet blogs.
The rally was continuing till 8-20 pm, two hours beyond the police-ficed time line, despite threats from the AL general secretary who is also the minister for local government and rural development.
Banglanews24.com adds: A worker of Hanif Paribahan was killed during a triangular clash among activists of Hefajat-e-Islam, cops and Awami League in city’s Purana Paltan area on Sunday afternoon.
The deceased was identified as Siddikur Rahaman Siddik alias Bullet, 28, who resided at Maniknagar in the city. Siddik worked as bus helper of Hanif Paribahan’s Dhaka-Cox’bazar route.
The bus driver Jewel told banglanews, “We went to Purana Paltan on personal purpose. Suddenly, I saw that Siddik received bullet and fell down the street.”
Later, I took him to Dhaka Medical College Hospital where duty doctor declared him dead, he added.
UPDATE-4, 1:00pm: Capital’s Paltan area turned into a battle field as activists of Hefajat-e-Islam locked into clash and chase and counter with law enforcers on Sunday noon.
Police charged baton, opened blank fires and tear shells to take the situation under control.
Witnesses said Hefajat activists hurled brick chips aiming police and chase them with sticks in hands.
Additional law enforcers have been deployed in the area to take the situation under control.
UPDATE-3, 11:15am: Thousands of activists of Hefajat-e-Islam crossed police barricade in Jatrabari and started for Paltan after 9:00am Sunday.
Following police barricade in Gulistan, the activists took position at Motijheel Shapla Chattar. Police opened blank fire and tear shells at that time to obstruct them.
The activists with sticks in their hands were chanting slogans indicating the government demanding to meet their 13-point otherwise to quit.
They also locked into chase and counter chase with law enforcers in Motijheel. Later police left Motijheel and took position in Baitul Mokarram area.
In other points in the capital, activists were seen protesting on roads after police put barricade to them.
Police arrested six Hefajat activists from a procession on Topkhana road.
UPDATE-2, 9:00am: Activists of Hefajat-e-Islam vandalized a vehicle of Rapid Action Battalion in city’s Kanchpur area on Sunday morning during its Dhaka blockade programme.
Hefajat activist Tazul Islam told banglanews, RAB personnel misbehaved with Hefazat men when the vehicle intercepted in the area. Following the matter, some angry protesters vandalized glasses of the vehicle.
Thousands of Hefajat activists took to the streets in Kanchpur and Chittagong road area as a part of their Dhaka blockade.
Rail communications between Dhaka and Narayanganj remained suspended from early Sunday as activists of Hefajat-e-Islam blocked the rail route in city’s Jurain area.
Narayanganj Central Rail station Master Golam Mostafa told banglanews, “A Narayanganj-bound train from Kamalapur railway station was intercepted by activists of Hefajat in the area around 5:15 am that halted train communications in the route.”
UPDATE-1, 6:15am: Hefajat-e-Islam has blockaded Dhaka from the early hours of Sunday to press home their 13-point demand including trial of atheist bloggers.
Vowing to make it a complete success, Hefajat supporters have taken position at all the entry points to Dhaka after Fajr prayers.
They have blocked the roads at points like Babu Bazar, Demra, Jatrabari, Kanchpur, Shanirakhra, Mirpur, Badda-Rampura, Amin Bazar, Tongi, different points at Gazipur, Abdullahpur and Arichaghat.
They have also threatened to announce tougher programmes if they are being obstructed Sunday.
(Source: Banglanews24.co.)
