BNP men, police clash in city

Agitated BNP men vandalised around 70 vehicles and torched a police motorbike in the city's High Court and Bangabazar areas yesterday after police foiled their bid to bring out a procession.

The opposition activists gathered at Doyel Chattar around 2:50pm to go to a special court at Bakshibazar that granted bail to BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia in Zia orphanage and Zia charitable trust graft cases.

The BNP men clashed with law enforcers for around half an hour, leaving at least 25 people, including three cops, injured, said witnesses and police.

Commuters suffered delays as huge tailbacks were created on the roads in and around the HC area following the incident.

BNP men scale an iron fence to escape police batons in the city's High Court area yesterday. At least 25 people were injured in the clashes and around 70 vehicles were vandalised. Photo: Amran Hossain

Tailbacks stretched to Shahbagh, Gulistan, Chankharpool and Banglamotor areas as many people were seen getting off public transport and walking to their destinations.

Witnesses said several hundred BNP men gathered in Doyel Chattar area to bring out a procession to march towards Bakshibazar.

The opposition men got involved in a heated exchange with law enforcers. As they tried to break through a barbed-wire barricade, law enforcers charged batons and fired teargas shells to disperse them.

At one stage, the BNP men in two groups ran towards Zero Point in Gulistan and Bangabazar. They vandalised vehicles parked on Abdul Gani Road near the secretariat and Shikkha Bhaban.

a burning police motorbike in Bangabazar area. Photo: Amran Hossain

Law enforcers said some BNP men torched a motorbike of a police sergeant in Bangabazar area.

Harun Ali, who works as a driver at the power, energy and mineral resources ministry, said, “I was in the driving seat of my car. Suddenly, I saw several hundred men running on Abdul Gani Road. They threw brickbats at parked vehicles and also hit those with sticks.” 

Two men peer through the smashed rear window of a car in the secretariat area. Photo: Amran Hossain

Amir Hossain, another driver of a ministry, said, “I parked my car near the Shikkha Bhaban. They [vandals] broke the windshields of the car hitting with sticks. Chased by police, they damaged almost all the vehicles parked along the roads.”

Maruf Hossain Sardar, deputy commissioner (Ramna division) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, said police fired around eight teargas shells to disperse BNP men and detained about 25 people for interrogation.