33 bus workers hurt in Sirajganj cop firing

At least 43 bus workers sustained injuries as police fired rubber bullets and lobbed teargas shells on them when they blocked highways in Sirajganj town on Saturday, protesting the attack on their colleagues by auto-rickshaw drivers. Locals said a group of bus workers beat some auto-rickshaw drivers in Sirajganj’s Koddar Intersection and Mirpur area on Friday evening following an altercation over giving side on Sirajganj-Enayetpur road. Later, auto-rickshaw drivers vandalised two buses in Mirpur area, triggering a clash between them. Both groups attacked each other with bamboo sticks and iron rods, leaving 10 people injured. On Saturday afternoon, a group of bus workers blocked Sirajganj-Bogra highway in front of MA Matin bus terminal in the district town protesting the attack on their fellows by auto-rickshaw drivers. Later, police fired several rounds of rubber bullet and lobbed teargas shells to disperse the agitating bus workers, leaving 20 injured. Nine of the injured were admitted to Sirajganj General Hospital and different clinics. The bus workers again put barricade on the highway at about 9:15pm, protesting the police attack. Additional police rushed to the spot and fired 28 more rounds of rubber bullet, leaving 13 injured, according to UNB.