Last Day of Blockade: Seven cops hurt in clash, crude bomb attack

A clash between police and BNP in Chattogram and a crude bomb attack on the police from a BNP procession in Bogura left at least seven policemen injured yesterday -- the last day of the 36-hour nationwide blockade enforced by BNP and its allies.

Besides, three buses and a lorry were set on fire in Dhaka and Sylhet, while a police van was vandalised in Chattogram.

In Chattogram, four policemen, including the officer-in-charge of Anwara Police Station, were injured after police obstructed a BNP procession on PAB road in Anwara upazila around 12:45pm, triggering the clash, said witnesses and police.

Sohanur Rahman Sohag, assistant superintendent of police (ASP) of Anwara Circle, claimed a group of BNP men tried to halt traffic by bringing out a procession. "When police chased them, they started pelting bricks."

Police had to fire blank rounds to bring the situation under control, he said, adding that a police van was also vandalised in the incident.

In a separate incident in Bogura, three policemen suffered injuries when a crude bomb exploded when a BNP procession was marching past the police personnel standing there at the Tinmatha intersection around 1:30pm.

Abul Kalam Azad, officer-in-charge of Gabtoli Police Station, said, "A police team was on duty at Tinmatha intersection. A BNP procession heading towards the party office hurled a crude explosive at police."

However, Enamul Haque, general secretary of Gabtoli unit of BNP, refuted the allegation, saying the crude bomb was blasted to frame BNP men.

In Sylhet, criminals set fire to a lorry in the Fulbari area of Golapganj upazila in the early hours. No casualties were reported as the driver and his assistant were allowed to leave the lorry before the arson attack, said police.

In Dhaka, three buses were set on fire in Dhanmondi, Shahbagh, and in front of the Bahadur Shah Park area.

In Khulna, a fire broke out in the courtroom of Paikgacha Senior Judicial Magistrate's Court. The police claimed it was an act of sabotage, saying criminals set the fire that burned the dock and some chairs.

In the 24 hours till yesterday evening, 340 BNP leaders and activists were detained, and nine cases were filed against 928 named and many unnamed supporters of the party, said BNP Senior Joint Secretary Ruhul Kabir Rizvi at a virtual press briefing.

So far, 21,490 BNP leaders and activists have been arrested in 608 cases filed across the country since October 28, he added.