The Election Commission has sought a report on the police-BNP worker’s clash of Wednesday from the Inspector General of Police. The ruling Awami League and the opposition BNP have blamed each other for the Nov 14 clash that left 55 injured on both sides and led to the torching of two police cars and a private car. It surprised all.
The trading of blame set apart, why such a clash take place at all when political leaders and activists were in an election mood collecting forms for nominations as candidates for the upcoming election from parties of their choices.
The much-awaited election is slated for 30 December. For BNP workers this is an election after a decade as they missed the one of 2014. Wednesday was the third day of the sale of nomination papers by their party. On the day before the enthusiasm was such that a huge crowd of BNP workers had overtaken entire Naya Paltan area in Dhaka City, according to news reports and press photographs published in newspapers.
BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, and senior joint secretary general Rizvi Ahmed have blamed the police as well as AL’s student associate Chhatra league for the clash. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina warned the BNP, ICT adviser to the PM, Sajeeb Wazed Joy asked for pouring the BNP workers into jail, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan said the BNP did attack the police in a planned way while the chief of the Counterterrorism unit of DMP Monirul Huq said they identified the BNP workers responsible for the attack. AL general secretary Obaidul Quader blamed the attack on BNP standing committee member Mirza Abbas and his workers
Nine BNP workers including Nipun Roy Chowdhury, daughter of BNP leader Nitai Roy Chowdhury were placed under 5-day remand each. The arrested BNP workers did include also gazal singer Baby Nazneen who was later released from the Detective Branch of DMP at Minto Road in Dhaka City. BNP has sought help from the Election Commission to stop the arrest of its workers.
The latest on the clash is the Election Commission’s asking for a report on the same from the Inspector General of Police. The members of the public would expect the EC initiative to help stop further worsening of mood over the Paltan clash before the election.
