AL, BNP men clash in Mirpur

Leaders and activists of the ruling Awami League and the BNP locked into clashes in Dhaka’s Mirpur area on Thursday afternoon.

The clash ensued around 2:00pm as the ruling party activists reportedly barred BNP activists from going to their scheduled rally venue in Mukul Fouz field at Mirpur Section No-6.

Iqbal Hossain, former joint general secretary of Dhaka north city unit BNP, said their party was scheduled to hold a rally as per their previous announcement in Mirpur.

“Our leaders and workers were going to the venue to join the rally. But the leaders and activists of Awami League, Juba League and Chhatra League equipped with rods, sticks and arms attacked them,” he said.

Witnesses said the clash spread around the Mukul Fouz field as the BNP activists tried to create resistance to hold the rally.

At one stage, police rushed to the spot and lobbed teargas shells to bring the situation under control.

However, the clash was sporadically going on at different lanes in the area till 3:15pm.

Iqbal said the ruling party activists vandalised their makeshift stage of the rally and took a position in the venue in a bid to foil the programme.

Earlier on September 10, BNP announced to hold public rallies in 16 spots under its Dhaka south and north city units until September 27 in protest against the increase in prices of essentials, fuel and transport fares.

The rallies are also meant to register the party’s protest against the killings of Bhola Chhatra Dal leader Noor-e-Alam, Swechchhasebak Dal leader Abdur Rahim and Narayanganj Juba Dal leader Shaon Prodhan.

The party has so far arranged four rallies.