Three shot dead in Ctg during Jamaat-Shibir hartal

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Wednesday, 06 February 2013

Dhaka, Feb 5: Three persons including an activist of Islami Chhtra Shibir was shot dead in Chittagong as violence marked the countrywide hartal called by the Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh on Tuesday. Around 20 people, including several policemen, were injured in clashes between law enforcers and picketers during the dawn-to-dusk strike. Around 50 vehicles were vandalised and over 100 people were detained for violence, police said.
Govt Tuesday evening called out BDR personnel in the city.
The Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh had called the hartal to protest the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT)-2’s verdict against its assistant secretary general, Abdul Quader Molla, who was accused of crimes against humanity during the 1971 Liberation War.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) sources said as many as 52 Jamaat-Shibir activists were arrested, one policeman was wounded, four vehicles were torched and two vandalised.
“Sporadic incidents such as vandalism, arson and explosion of crude bombs were reported from different areas of Dhaka including Mirpur, Shyamoli, Dhanmondi, Elephant Road, Shahbagh, Rayerbagh, Tejgaon, Jatrabari and Jurain,” assistant commissioner of the DMP’s media wing Rabiul Islam told The Independent. “Pro-hartal activists torched two vehicles, vandalised dozen others and exploded at least two dozen cocktails. Police have so far detained 26 picketers from these areas,” he added.
A chase and counter-chase took place between hartal supporters and law enforcers at Ulon in Rampura around 7.30 am. Hartal supporters also damaged two to three vehicles and police arrested a picketer from there, said sub-inspector (Rampura plice station) Moktar Hossain said.
Of those detained, two were from Mahakhali TB Gate, two from Kanchabazar, two from Rampura TV Bhaban, five from Dhanmondi Sat Masjid Road, five from Jigatala, one from Jatrabari Kutubkhali area, five from Dhanmondi-15, one from Shahjahanpur, two from Ramna and two from Mirpur-13.
Besides, 13 from Gazipur, 18 from Chandpur, three from Chapainawabganj, four from Bhola, one from Rupganj in Narayanganj, nine from Brahmanbaria, 11 from Cox’s Bazar, two from Jugia in Comilla, two from Khagrachari, two from Kustia, one from Natore, two from Moulvibazar, three from Faridpur Sadar were detained.
Most shops, the main thoroughfare and all educational institutions remained closed, while almost all modes of vehicles except rickshaws and a few CNG-run auto-rickshaws stayed off the city streets fearing vandalism.
No buses plied out of the inter-district bus terminals at Syedabad, Mahakhali and Gabtali. However, the train and launch services were normal.
Policemen, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) personnel and plainclothes detectives were deployed at all strategic points while many others were patrolling different areas of the capital to maintain law and order. DMP sources said that over 10,000 policemen were deployed to guard the city streets from 5 am.
Ruling party leaders and activists brought out anti-hartal processions from different points in the city,
shouting slogans to demand the execution of Quader Molllah and other persons accused of crimes against humanity.
At 7 am, pro-hartal activists damaged four to five vehicles at Mir Hajirbagh in Jatrabari thana. At 8 am, Jubo League activists aided by police chased Jamaat-Shibir activists as they brought out a procession at Kajla in Jatrabari where the pro-hartal picketers tried to set a vehicle on fire and damaged three to four vehicles.
A group of Shibir activists exploded several hand made crude bombs at Shanirakhra area and burnt tyres on the streets. They threw brick bats targeting law enforcers. Later, police arrested eight activists from the area.
Picketers set fire to several tyres at Mirpur Taltola and hurled brick chips, damaging glasses of a number of vehicles around 7 am.
The pro-hartal activists vandalised a bus of “ETC Paribahan” in Shahbagh intersection in the morning. Later, Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) members detained five people from the area.
Police fired shots and picked up five activists of Shibir, when 20 activists brought out a brisk procession at Dhanmondi in the morning.
Picketers vandalised a BRTC bus in front of Gono Bhaban around 7:50am, leaving its driver injured.
The Jamaat-Shibir activists exploded eight to 10 handmade crude bombs when police obstructed them. Police fired several blank shots in self-defence, the law enforcers claimed.  
Chittagong correspondent adds: Three persons including an activist of Islami Chhatra Shibir was shot dead and 10-12 others were injured in a clash between police and Jamaat-Shibir activists at Alankar Mor in the port city of Chittagong.
The activists brought out a procession at Alamkar Point area in the city at around 1pm. They set fire to a pick-up van of patrol police in the area.
Habibur Rahman, deputy commissioner (DC) of the Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP), said a group of Shibir workers brought out a procession just after the delivery of verdict in the Quader Mollah case, protesting against his life imprisonment.
They damaged several vehicles and attacked a police box in the area with brickbats. They also torched a police van around 1:15 pm, prompting law enforcers to fire shots that left one Shibir man dead. Ten to twelve persons were also injured.
Witnesses said police also arrested eight Shibir workers from the spot and took away the corpse.
Another two youths named Afzal and Shafiqul died after having collision with a vehicle when Jamaat-Shibir activists went berserk at city’s Agrabad area at about 7:00 pm and locked in clashes with police.
Assistant Commissioner (Double-morring Zone) of Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP) Hasanuzzaman told The Independent that being panicked the pedestrian was running away from the spot and subsequently being hurt with the collision of a vehicle.
“We recovered the pedestrian from the spot in a critical condition and sent him to Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH) for medication,” he added.
Additional Commissioner of CMP Tarek Ahmed confirmed the death of the injured victim.  Details of the victim could not be known immediately.
Another person named Shafiqul was killed during the clash but details of the victim could not be ascertained.
The clash took place on the Dhaka-Rajshahi highway, the main gate of the university. At about 7:30 am, the leaders and activists of Shibir tried to bring out a procession. A clash between police and Shibir activists ensued at Binodpur bazaar in Mondoler Mor area on the Dhaka-Rajshahi highway.
The Shibir activists blasted at least 20 handmade crude bombs, pelted brick bats and vandalised two rented Emma police van of police personnel and torched one of them.
Police also fired more than 50 rubber bullets and tear shells to disperse the activists. Soon after, the area turned into a virtual battle field. Later, additional law enforcers, equipped with water tank, brought the situation under control.
In separate drives, police arrested eight people, all suspected Shibir activists, from different areas of Binodpur and Dharampur.
Khulna correspondent adds: The hartal passed off peacefully without any untoward incident. The law enforcers were alert to maintain law and order situation.
Cargo-handling operations went on undisturbed at Mongla sea port under Bagerhat district, said Mahabub
Ullah, director of traffic movement at Mongla port.
Barisal correspondent adds: At least five passenger buses and three tempos were ransacked at Airport, Rupatoli and C&B areas. Police arrested two Shibir activists from the Airport area. Pro-hartal activists put up barricades on roads and highways by burning tyres.
Sylhet correspondent adds: Police fired 10 rounds from shotguns and hurled four tear gas shells at pro-hartal activists in Dakshin Surma upazila around 9:00am.
The pro-hartal activists also hurled brickbats at the law enforcers.
Besides, the picketers vandalised two trucks and two auto rickshaws in different areas of the city around 8:00am.
Dinajpur correspondent adds: At least 10 people were injured, including three police officials and a police constable, during a clasth between law enforcers and Jamaat-Shibir activists in Nawabganj upazila under Dinajpur district. Police arrested 21 Jamaat-shibir activists from different areas.
When Jamat-Shibir activists tried to bring out a procession at 10.30 am, the Awami League supporters obstructed them at Nawabganj College area. The Jamat-Shibir activists blasted four handmade grenades and vandalised five vehicles.
Thakurgaon correspondent adds : Police arrested three Shibir activists from different parts of the district during the hartal.
The Jamat and Shibir vandalised two buses in different areas of the town during the hartal hours.
Bogra correspondent adds: Law enforcers and activists of Jamaat-Shibir were locked in a clash at Sabgram in the city, when pro-hartal activists blasted two crude bombs targeting the police around 7 am.
Police also fired five rubber bullets to disperse them and detained five activists from the spot.
The pro-hartal activists blasted seven cocktails in front of the Government Azizul Haque College in Zamilnagar area around 10am. They also vandalised two vehicles in front of the college.