BNP-BCL fight rocks Bakshibazar as Khaleda attends hearing

FE Team | Published: December 25, 2014 00:00:00 | Updated: December 24, 2014 23:35:32

At least 40 people, including a ruling party MP, were injured in triangular sporadic clashes involving BNP and Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) activists and police near the Bakshibazar makeshift court following BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia's appearance before it in two graft cases, report agencies.
Accusing the ruling party activists of attacking their peaceful gathering at Bakshibazar in the capital, BNP on Wednesday announced a countywide demonstration for Friday in protest against the incident.  BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir first announced the programme for today (Thursday) at an emergency press briefing at BNP's Nayapaltan central office.
Later, in a press release the party shifted the programme to Friday due to the Christmas Day to be celebrated on Thursday.
Fakhrul said the programme will be observed in the all district towns and Dhaka city.
The court deferred the hearing in the Zia Charitable Trust and Zia Orphanage Trust graft cases against the BNP chairperson till January 7 next on a plea by the defendant.
Special judge Md Abu Ahmed Jomadar re-fixed the date as the former premier appeared in the dock as scheduled and her lawyers submitted a petition seeking the deferment while clashes erupted outside the court compound between BNP activists and law enforcement agencies over her trial.
Chhabi Biswas, a ruling party MP from Netrakona-1, was injured and his vehicle was set on fire in front of Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) reportedly by the BNP men who took position in the area after being chased by a group of Chhatra League activists and law enforcers near the Bakshibazar crossing.
BNP spokesman Fakhrul Islam Alamgir claimed that the ruling party attacked common people and their party activists without any provocation with the help of law enforcers at Bakshibazar, leaving over 600 injured, including 100 seriously.
He further claimed that the law enforcers arrested at least 50 leaders and activists.
The party strongly denounced the attack and asked the ruling party to refrain from such destructive politics.
Fakhrul demanded the government immediately arrest and mete out punishment to those involved in the violence.
Otherwise, he warned, the government would be held responsible for any evolving situation if people come up with a befitting reply.
Witnesses said the clash broke out around 12:10pm when a group of BCL activists had blocked a procession bought out by the BNP men at the Fazle Rabbi Hall intersection of the DMCH before Khaleda Zia reached the court area.
The BCL men, wielding sticks and iron rods, beat up BNP and JCD men.
Later, a chase and counter-chase and sporadic clashes took place between BNP and BCL men, leaving the 40 people injured from both sides. Several crude bombs were also blasted during the melee.
At one stage, police charged batons and lobbed several rounds of teargas shells and dispersed the BNP activists who took position in different areas, including Chankharpul, Nazimuddin Road, Polashi and near the DMCH.