Three people were killed and 12 others injured as Jamaat-Shibir men clashed with cops in Halutti area of Sadar upazila during the countrywide daylong hartal enforced by Jamaat-e-Islami on Sunday. The deceased were identified as Firoz Hossain, 30, a van puller and son of late Fazlur Rahman, Insan, 27, son of Momtaj Ali of Halutti village, and Shakib, Hossain, 25, son of Iqbal Hossain of Jalatul village in the upazila. Police and locals said over 400 activists of Jamaat and its student wing Islami Chhtra Shibir blocked Joypurhat-Bogra highway at Puranapoil Bazar area around 2:30pm in support of the shutdown. They also pelted five petrol bombs at Rajshahi Krishi Unnayan Bank at the bazaar. On information, police and members of Border Guard Bangladesh and Rapid Action Battalion, led by police super of the district Hamidul Alam, rushed in and dispersed them by firing several rounds of teargas canisters. Being informed that the Jamaat-Shibir men were trying to carry out acts of sabotage after regrouping at Halutti, the law enforcers conducted a drive there and tried to disperse them. However, the unruly activists pelted the law enforcers with brickbats. At one stage, the cops opened fire on the Jamaat-Shibir men, leaving 15 people injured. Of them, Shakib died on the way to hospital while Firoz was declared dead at Joypurhat Modern Hospital and Ihsan succumbed to his injuries at the hospital while undergoing treatment. Following the incident, the local administration clamped Section 144 in Joypurhat municipality area. The restriction will remain in force from 5pm Sunday until 6am Monday. – UNB
