55 injured in political clashes in Khulna, Ctg

At least 55  people of ruling Awami League and BNP including 10 cops were injured in separate clashes in Banshkhali upazila of Chattogram and Dighali of Khulna on Friday and Thursday. Witnesses said the clash occurred as police barred a rally in Kalipur area at about 4:00pm.

They said that the BNP activists locked in an altercation with police and later locked in a clash there. About 40  people including 10 cops sustained injury in the clash.

They said that the police opened fire to disperse the BNP activists.

Md Abu Sufian, convener of Chattogram south district unit of BNP, claimed that police opened fire at the BNP rally without any reason.

At least 30 BNP activists received bullet injuries as police opened fire on them, the BNP leader claimed.

However, he couldn’t provide the identity of the injured BNP activists immediately.

Md Humayun Kabir, assistant superintendent (Anwara circle) of Chattogram district police, said that at least 10 cops were injured as BNP activists hurled stones at them.

‘BNP activists suddenly attacked us from a rally.  We shot in the sky to save ourselves,’ the police official claimed.

15 hurt in Khulna AL-BNP clash

Meanwhile, 15 activists of the ruling Awami League and opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party were injured in a clash between the rival parties in Khulna on Thursday.

Around 7:00pm on Thursday, the AL’s Dighalia union unit was holding a programme near Pother Bazar intersection where the local unit of the BNP had also been holding a rally at the same time.

As BNP members tried to move ahead with a procession through the area, a clash ensued between the activists of the two parties in front of the AL office. The groups attacked each other with brick chips.

Later police soon took control of the situation, said Pratap Ghosh, sub-inspector of Dighalia police station.

Khan Najrul Islam, president of Dighalia AL unit, claimed that BNP activists attacked his party members, leaving seven of them hurt. ‘They have been admitted to upazila health complex and Khulna Medical College and Hospital.’

Meanwhile, Amir Ejaz Khan, convener of the district BNP, claimed that eight of his party members were injured as AL activists attacked them while leaving after a rally.