Police on Monday (July 7) fired water cannons and sound grenades to disperse sacked members of the erstwhile Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) who were protesting near the Kakrail Mosque intersection in the capital, demanding reinstatement and other concessions.

The clash erupted around 12:15 pm when the protesters—who had earlier marched from Shahbagh—refused to leave the area despite repeated warnings from law enforcement.

According to eyewitnesses, police fired at least six sound grenades and used high-pressure water cannons to break up the gathering, injuring several demonstrators and policemen. 

A number of protesters were also detained, while others were driven toward Matsya Bhaban.

The protesters had taken up position at the Kakrail intersection near Jamuna, the official residence of the Chief Adviser. 

Their three-point demand included reinstatement of dismissed BDR personnel with compensation, cancellation of certain clauses of the independent inquiry commission formed after the 2009 Peelkhana massacre, and restoration of the BDR name and release of jailed members.

Earlier, Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Ramna Division Deputy Commissioner Masud Alam had urged the protesters to send a representative to Jamuna for talks and gave them a 10-minute ultimatum to vacate the intersection. 

The protesters, however, remained defiant and announced they would not leave, prompting police action.

The sacked BDR members began their protest march from Shahbagh around 12:45 pm, but were intercepted at Kakrail by a police barricade, where the standoff ensued.

Security in the area remains tight as police continue to monitor the situation.

SMS/