Tabith injured as BNP programme attacked in Banani

At least 10 people, including the BNP Executive Committee member Tabith Awal, were injured in an apparent attack by ruling party activists during a programme in Dhaka’s Banani on Saturday evening.

“Tabith has been admitted to United Hospital for treatment with head injury,” said Nazmul Huda, his personal secretary.

Around 7:45pm, BNP was holding a candlelight vigil protesting the killing of three of its activists in police firing during recent protests across the country against the price hike of essentials, Shayrul Kabir Khan, a BNP media cell member, told UNB.

The activists of Awami League and its affiliate organisations suddenly appeared there and swooped on BNP activists and leaders with brick chips and sticks, said Shayrul.

"Our programme was slated to be held from 7:00pm to 8:00pm, with a route stretching from Kakoli to Gulshan-2, but the Awami League activists blocked the road from an hour before to prevent that," he added.

BNP Standing Committee member Selima Rahman, Shama Obaid, organisational secretary and many other activists of the party were injured in the attack, said BNP’s Joint Secretary General Moazzem Hossain.

“They took position on the opposite side of the road before the programme even began and attacked when Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain was giving a speech. I do not understand how they could attack a peaceful programme like this,” Moazzem said.

Banani police station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Nur e Azam Miah said the Awami League activists were "holding a rally just beside the BNP programme," from where some activists "chased the opposition activists".

“But we do not have any report about any attack,” he added.

Meanwhile, in Cumilla, four people including BNP Vice-Chairman Barkat Ullah Bulu and his wife suffered injuries in another attack by some miscreants in Monoharganj upazila of Cumilla on his way to Dhaka from Noakhali.