20 hurt, 50 detained as cops, BNP-Jamaat activists clash in Ctg

CHITTAGONG, Jan 5: Sporadic clashes between the police and the BNP-Jamaat activists have left 20 people injured including three members of the police in the city's Kazir Dewri area this afternoon.

The police have detained around 50 workers and supporters of BNP-Chhatra Dal and Jamaat-Shibir from the area. The police have also foiled a rally of the BNP-Jamaat activists in front of the city BNP office in Kazir Dewri area.

The clashes erupted at around 3:00 pm as some BNP-Jamaat workers set a mini bus on fire as their procession with a black banner with "Democracy" written on it reached Kazir Dewri intersection from the office of city BNP.

As the demonstrators gathered at the Kazir Dewri intersection, a group of workers from the rally and procession attacked a mini truck, set it afire and resorted to widespread vandalism attacking other vehicles with sticks in hand.

The police shot blank fires and lobbed teargas shells to bring the situation under control. At one stage both the police and the activists chased and counter-chased each other. The workers also fired shots and threw at least 15 petrol bombs and cocktails on the police.