At least 12 people, including 5 cops, were injured as the activists of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the police were locked in a clash in the Kazir Dewri area of Chattogram on Monday.
BNP's Chattogram unit arranged a protest rally in front of the party office at “Nasiman Bhaban” on Monday to stress its 10-point demand and to protest the electricity price hike.
When BNP leaders and activists were going to join the rally around 3:30pm, the police charged with batons to disperse them, triggering the clash, said Idris Ali, former organising secretary of the Chattogram unit BNP.
At least 7-8 BNP activists were injured as the police baton-charged and fired shots, said the BNP leader.
However, Mostafizur Rahman, deputy commissioner of the Chattogram Metropolitan Police (South), said that the police made arrangements for a peaceful rally but the BNP men attacked the police, leaving 5 policemen injured.
The BNP activists also set a police motorcycle on fire and vandalised several shops in the area during the clash, he added.
Later, additional police force rushed to the spot and fired tear gas shells to bring the situation under control.
So far 20 people have been arrested, added the officer.
