Police foiled Jamaat-e-Islami's effort to hold a 'gayebana janaza' for convicted war criminal and Jamaat-e-Islami leader Delawar Hossain Sayeedi after Zohr prayers at Baitul Mukarram National Mosque in the city today.
When Jamaat and Shibir activists were trying to gather in front of Baitul Mokaram Nation Mosque, police dispersed them. The Jamaat-Shibir activists attacked police with brickbats that triggered a chase and counter-chase in the area.
Deputy Commissioner of Motijheel Division Police Hayatul Islam Khan told the media that the unruly Jamaat-Shibir activists launched an attack on police and hurled brickbats. Police charged batons to disperse them, he added.
Police detained 10-12 Jamaat-Shibir activists from the spot.
Meanwhile, Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner Khandaker Golam Faruq said Jamaat-e-Islami was not given permission to hold ghayebana janaza of Delwar Hossain Sayeedi as Jamaat-Shibir activists launched attacks on police, vandalized police vehicles over the transportation of Sayeedi's body to Pirojpur last night.
Sayedi passed away around 8:40pm on Monday at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University following a heart attack.
Addressing a press conference at the Minto Road office, Khandkar Ghulam Farooq said Sayeedi's two sons told senior police officials that they will take Sayeedi's body to his village home in Pirojpur from the hospital.
Last night, he said thousands of leaders and workers of Jamaat-e-Islami demanded to hold gayebana janaza of Sayeedi. But they held a monazat for half an hour without holding his Janaza, he said, adding that when the ambulance carrying Sayeedi's body left the BSMMU hospital, Jamaat leaders and workers lay down in front of it. At that time, he said the Jamaat activists attacked police and vandalized four to five police cars. Two police motorcycles were set on fire, he added.
Khandakar Ghulam Farooq said that even after the Fazar prayer, Jamaat activists did not hold his gayebana janaza. The Jamaat activists made a call on Facebook to their supporters to come to Shahbagh. Sensing the deterioration of law and order, the DMP commissioner said the police fired tear gas shells to disperse them.
Later, Sayedi's body was taken to Pirojpur in an ambulance for burial, he said.
