BNP activists clash with police in city

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) activists clashed with police outside their Nayapaltan office on the third day of nomination papers sales on Wednesday.
Dozens from both sides got injured in the clash around 1:00 pm following a dispute between lawmen and BNP leaders over clearing a road for traffic.
Several BNP activists were injured as police charged baton and used tear gas and pellets to disperse them.
Angry BNP men also threw brick chips to the security personnel to hurt many of them.
Following the incident, miscreants torched two police vehicles, a van and a patrol car.
Since early morning, a good number of BNP leaders and workers crowded the party office to collect and submit nomination forms.
Like the previous two days, nomination seekers flanked by supporters came to Nayapaltan in large numbers.
At 12:35 pm, a large procession in support of BNP leader Mirza Abbas arrived at the party office that halted traffic on both sides of the road.
The clash took place as law-enforcing agencies tried to bring order among BNP men for normal vehicular movements.
The confronters set afire at least two police vehicles and smashed another 10 vehicles plying the streets near the BNP office at that time.
Firemen came to the spot half an hour later only to see the vehicles burnt to ashes in the meantime.
After the clash, Paltan police station officer-in-charge Mahmud Hossain said, "BNP activists were scattered in front of the party office, blocking the roads. Police requested them to maintain order."
But they confronted the police without provocation, he told the media.
Meanwhile, the Election Commission asked the lawmen for steps so that the aspirants and their supporters follow the electoral code of conduct while collecting and submitting nomination forms.
To this end, the commission wrote to the Inspector General of Police (IGP) on Tuesday, according to a news agency.
Meanwhile, in an immediate reaction after the clash, BNP senior joint general secretary Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said police attacked BNP men without provocation.
"Police fired on us, used baton and lobbed tear gas only to disperse the peaceful gathering with a view to creating unrest," he said.
Mr Rizvi also said, "I think this attack was carried out as directed by government high-ups, but we won't break peace because of that."
After an almost two hours' tailback, vehicular movement became normal at Nayapaltan, Kakrail, Fakirapool and Bijoy Nagar areas at 3:00pm.
Nomination paper sales and submissions at the BNP office resumed around 2:30pm, said BNP assistant office secretary Taiful Islam Tipu.
The party sold around 3,222 forms on the previous two days -- 1,326 on the first day and 1,896 on second day.
It sold 285 papers as of 6:00pm on the third day.
The sales will continue until today and submissions can be made tomorrow.
Each nomination seeker has to pay Tk 5,000 for a form and another Tk 25,000 as security money during submission of the paper.
The 11th general election is scheduled for December 30.

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