2 BNP, Shibir men die in clashes with cops

Two leaders of BNP and Islami Chhatra Shibir were killed in clashes with police on the 41st day of the non-stop blockade and the first day of 72-hour hartal on Sunday.
The indefinite blockade and shutdown called by the BNP-led 20-party alliance were also marked by stray incidents of blasts, detention and arson attacks.
A BNP leader was killed in a clash between pro-blockade activists and law enforcers in Shalikha upazila of Magura district Sunday night.
The deceased was identified as Mashiur Rahman, secretary general of BNP's ward 9 unit of Shotokhali union in the upazila.
Police said the clash erupted about 7:20 pm at Shimakhali on Magura-Jessore highway when police were trying to disperse the protesters from the highway.
Witnesses said police opened fire and lobbed tear gas shells on the protesters who hurled petrol bombs, cocktails and brickbats at the law enforcers during the chaos.
Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) of the district Sudarshan Kumar Roy said policemen fired several rounds of bullet to protect themselves and public properties from subversive acts, causing the death.
At least three policemen were also injured in the clash, he said, adding that they recovered four petrol bombs from the spot.
Besides, a leader of Islami Chhatra Shibir (ICS), student wing of Jamaat-e-Islam, died from his injuries at National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICD) in the capital.
The leader identified as Motiar Rahman received bullet wounds when Shibir men clashed with law enforcers in Chirirbandar upazila of Dinajpur district Saturday night. Later, he was taken to NICD early Sunday where he succumbed to his injuries, police sources said.   
In Dhaka, unidentified miscreants hurled petrol bomb at a passenger bus in Tantibazar area, but no one was hurt in the arson attack as passengers immediately got down from the vehicle.
The Sadarghat-bound bus of Skyline Paribahan came under arson attack about 4:30pm. Later, fire fighters rushed to the spot and doused the fire.   
Cocktails also went off at several points in the capital such as Shahbagh, Paltan, Kakrail, Malibagh and Gulshan.
Meanwhile, Detective Branch (DB) of police arrested four people, including ICS Biman Bandar Thana unit president Enamul Haque from a house in the capital Sunday afternoon.
The plainclothes policemen also seized 8 petrol bombs from their possession.
In Sylhet, two trucks were set ablaze by the pickets at South Surma of the district that left a driver critically injured on the day.
The incidents took place in Kadamtola and Mominkhola areas in the afternoon.
Witnesses said arsonists riding on two bikes launched the attacks one by one.
Reports of arrests, blasts and clashes were also reported from Noakhali, Natore, Bogra, Munshiganj, Chandpur, Comilla and Mymensingh till filing of this report about 7:45pm.   
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