DHAKA: Seven people were killed, including one passerby and a leader of Juba League, Swechhasebak League, two BNP men including one Jubo Dal leader and a BGB man and 131 people injured in sporadic clashes across the country on Tuesday, the first day of 48-hour 18-party called blockade.
The deceased were identified as Babul, 40, of Laksham upazila of Comilla district, Mahmudul Hasan Babu, 32, joint general secretary Kolaroa upazila’s Deyara union unit of Juba League, Rabiul Islam, Swecchasebak League general secretary of same area, Sakman, a mason of Sirajganj municipal area and Mohammad Yusuf, Jubo Dal organizing secretary of no-21 ward in Bogra town, Ripon, member of Comilla BGB-10, and Dulal, 30, driver of a CNG-run auto-rickshaw.
In Comilla, an activist of opposition BNP was shot dead and 45 others were injured in a clash between BNP-Jamaat men and police in Laksham upazila of the district on Tuesday, the first day of 48-hour blockade.
Besides, a Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) man was killed in a clash with locals at South Chartha Chaumuhoni of Comilla city at around 5:00pm Tuesday.
In Satkhira, a Juba League leader was beaten to death by Jamaat-Shibir activists in Alaipur area under Kolaroa upazila and Deara union Swechasebak League general secretary Rabiul Islam chopped to death by Jamaat-Shibir men of the district during the blockade.
In Sirajganj, a passerby was killed in a clash between leaders-activists of opposition BNP and law enforcers in Jogai intersection of the district town on Tuesday morning, the first day of 48-hour blockade.
In Bogra, a Jubo Dal activist was killed as police opened fire during a clash with 18-parties activists at Banani near Bogra town in the afternoon.
Banglanews Feni correspondent reports: A CNG-run auto-rickshaw driver was killed as blockade supporters threw stone targeting him in the night.
In Barisal, a businessman, Rafiqul Islam, 27, who was injured by brick-chips hurled by pickets at around 11:00pm Monday, succumbed to his injures at hospital on Tuesday.
Held, Injured
Law enforcers, however, held 12 people from Kamalapur rail station in the city, Chittagong and Naryanganj districts.
In Chittagong, police held two persons from a pro-hartal procession of BNP leaders-activists in Almas intersection at around 7:45am.
In Narayanganj, law enforcers detained five people including district BNP office secretary Akter Hossain.
Besides, police held 21 in Savar, 14 in Kushtia, four people in Bhola, district BNP organizing secretary in Sylhet, eight people in Chittagong.
In Khulna, five people were injured, two by bullets, in a clash between police and BNP men in powerhouse intersection of the metropolis at around 8:15am.
In capital, police man was injured in cocktail blast in Nayapaltan.
In Satkhira, at least 40 people were injured in Jamaat-police clash around 11:00am.
In Noakhali, at least 30 persons were injured in a clash between police and18-party men a round 10:30am.
The blockade started from 6:00am Tuesday (November 26) and will continue to 6:00am Thursday.
Roads, waterways and railway remained under the blockade programme.
Acting secretary of opposition BNP Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir announced the blockade at a press conference on Monday night immediately after chief election commissioner (CEC) Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmed announced the election schedule.
The spokesperson for the party also said the opposition parties rejected the polls schedule and asked to postpone it soon for the sake of competitive elections.
Additional law enforcers along with Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) personnel were deployed around the country to thwart further sabotage.
Pre-blockade violence
The 18-party leaders and supporters started sabotage immediately after the announcement of the blockade by Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.
A Chhatra Dal activist was killed and 17 others, including police were injured in a clash between BNP-Jamaat-Shibir and law enforcers in Monoharpur area of Comilla Sadar at around 8:30pm Monday.
Police fired 70 rounds of rubber bullets and 60 rounds of teargas shells to bring the situation under control.
In Mymensingh, miscreants blasted two cocktails in front of the residence of polls-time government health minister Rawshon Ershad, also senior presidium member of Jatiya Party.
In Habiganj, BNP men and police locked into an hour-long sporadic clash in the district town from 8:00pm, leaving 30 people, including 10 policemen, injured.
In Narayanganj, at least 10 buses were vandalized in various areas of the town on Monday night.
In Thakurgaon, 18-party activists vandalized shops, torched trucks and blasted five petrol bombs.
Meanwhile, 15 persons, including journalists and police, were injured in a clash at the Thakurgaon government high school ground.
In Barguna, at least 20 people were injured in a clash between law enforcers and 18-party activist after the announcement of polls-schedule by CEC.
In Noakhali, at least 25 people were injured in a triangular clash between police, Awmai League and 18-party activists in Chowmuhani Bazar area under Begumganj upazila of the district immediately after the announcement of election schedule.
BDST: 0927 HRS, NOV 27, 2013
