Dozens injured as police attack Ganatantra Mancha march in Dhaka

Dozens of opposition leaders and activists, including Ganosamhati Andolan chief coordinator Zonayed Saki, were injured as police attacked and foiled the march of Ganatantra Mancha at Gulistan Zero Point near the Bangladesh Secretariat in Dhaka Wednesday afternoon.

Ganatantra Mancha began the march towards the secretariat at about 1:00pm after holding a protest rally in front of the National Press Club to protest against the price hike of essential commodities and mass corruption in the banking and power sectors.

As the marchers reached near Zero Point after crossing Purana Paltan on their way to the secretariat, police stopped the marchers by setting up a temporary fence barricade.

The marchers tried to continue their march when police suddenly swooped on the marchers and began to charge baton indiscriminately, where a good number of leaders and activists, including Zonayed Saki, became injured.

After the attack, Revolutionary Workers Party general secretary Saiful Huq told reporters that police had attacked their peaceful march when more than 50 leaders and activists, including Zonayed Saki, were seriously injured.

Saki was immediately rushed to the Dhaka Medical College Hospital, Saiful Huq added.

Chaired by Nagarik Oikya president Mahmudur Rahman Manna, Revolutionary Workers Party general secretary Saiful Huq, Rastra Sanskar Andolan chief coordinator Hasnat Quaiyum, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal-JSD senior vice president Tania Rob, and Bhashani Onusari Parishad member secretary Habibur Rahman Reezu, among others, addressed the rally in front of the National Press Club.