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Laxmipur, Chandpur

4 killed as cops fire on BNP men

100 policemen among 450 injured countrywide; half-day hartal called in the towns today

Star Report
Four persons died in Laxmipur and Chandpur towns yesterday when police fired on demonstrating BNP activists and supporters.
To protest the killings, local BNP units called for half-day hartals in Chandpur and Laxmipur towns for today.
More than 450 people, including 100 police, were injured yesterday when the law enforcers attempted to foil
prescheduled marches of opposition activists in different districts.
Condemning the police atrocities, BNP held the government responsible for the killings.
Addressing a media briefing at BNP central office in Naya Paltan of the capital in the afternoon, the party's acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir demanded exemplary punishment for the persons responsible for the killings. Meantime, police formed two separate committees to investigate the Chandpur and Laxmipur incidents, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Hassan Mahmood Khandker told reporters at the Police Headquarters in the capital in the afternoon.
The committees, to be headed by Additional Deputy Inspector General of Police Biswas Afzal Hossain, were asked to submit reports in seven days.
"The committees will also probe whether the policemen were at fault," the IGP said, claiming that police showed tolerance although resorted to firing.
CHANDPUR
Violence in Chandpur erupted around 11:00am when police asked opposition activists, gathering at Hasan Ali Govt High School ground, to disperse. The crowd was preparing to bring out a march.
"Without listening to us, they started hurling brickbats," Alamgir Hossain, officer-in-charge (OC) of Chandpur Model Police Station, told The Daily Star, estimating that there were at least 1,000 people.
Cordoning off the law enforcers, the opposition activists later vandalised a police van.
"The magistrate ordered us to open fire to bring the situation under control," the OCsaid.
Our Chandpur correspondent, who was caught inside the cordon, reported that police first fired live bullets and then switched to rubber bullets and shotgun pellets.
The opposition activists continued their attacks on police, though the latter stopped firing at noon.
Around 12:45pm, activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), ruling Awami League backed student organisation, joined police and dispersed the demonstrators in 15 minutes.
Bullet-hit, Abul Mreedha, a rickshawpuller aged about 50 years, died on the spot. Limon Soiyal, another rickshawpuller aged about 25, and Mahfuzur Rahman, a 22-year-old activist of BNP backed Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, sustained bullet injuries.
Rushed to Chandpur Sadar Hospital, Soiyal died at 12:15pm, hospital sources said.
Mreedha used to live in Baburhat while Soiyal in Goakhola areas of Chandpur town.
Amir Zafar, Chandpur assistant superintendent of police (ASP), said over 100 people, including 30 police, were injured during the clash.
Police said they opened fire in self defence after being ordered by Magistrate Shamimul Haq Pavel.
The opposition activists vandalised 15-20 vehicles as the clash spread to other parts of the town.
BCL activists later vandalised the BNP office and the house of BNP district unit General Secretary Sheikh Farid Ahmed Manik.
Addressing a press conference at his house at 4:30pm, Sheikh Farid announced a half-day hartal in the town from 6:00am today to protest the police atrocities.
LAXMIPUR
As activists of BNP-led four-party alliance brought out a march from South Trimohoni area around 11:00am, police tried to stop them. When the demonstrators tried to march forward, police charged batons on them, reported our Noakhali correspondent.
The demonstrators retaliated by throwing brick bats at the law enforcers. Chases and counter-chases took place for some time before police fired 68 rounds from shotguns and 20 tear gas canisters to successfully disperse the crowd.
Police arrested five demonstrators from the spot.
During the clash, more than 100 people including BNP's youth wing Jubo Dal's activist Rubel Hossain, 25; and BNP supporter Abul Kashem, 50 were injured. Ten sustained shotgun pellet wounds.
Rubel, among the injured, died while undergoing treatment in Laxmipur Sadar Hospital while Abul Kashem died later in Comilla while being transported to Dhaka for treatment.
IWenty six police including Golam Sarwar, OC of Laxmipur Sadar Police Station, and three subinspectors were injured. Of them, 24 were admitted to Laxmipur Sadar Hospital while two others to Noakhali Medical College Hospital.
Claiming that some people from the BNP march first opened fire on police, Laxmipur Superintendent of Police (SP) Zamsher Ali told The Daily Star that police opened fire in self-defence.
A three-member committee headed by additional SP of Laxmipur was formed to investigate the incident, the SP said adding that the committee will submit a report in three days.
Later in the evening BNP activists and supporters brought out another protest march that went through the town led by the party's local unit's General Secretary Shahabuddin Shabu, who announced from the march a half-day hartal from 6:00am in the town for today. DINAJPUR
Obstructed from bringing out a march from local BNP office, party activists pelted police with brickbats, prompting the latter to charge batons.
Police also fired 10 tear gas shells and rubber bullets. They picked up five persons during the clash which left 25 injured. KISHOREGANJ
Fifty including 11 police and 4 journalists were injured and a police vehicle was damaged during clashes between opposition activists and police at Ishaka Road and Gaital Firm intersection in the town.
Police picked up around 12 BNP and Jamaat activists, including district BNP Vice-chairman Amiruzzaman.
The injured police were admitted to Kishoreganj Adhunik Sadar Hospital.
KURIGRAM
TXventy including the OC of Kurigram Sadar Police Station were injured and a police vehicle was damaged during clashes between police and four-party opposition alliance activists in Kurigram town.
As a march of opposition activists reached Kurigram Central Mosque area, police tried to stop it, prompting the marchers to attack them with sticks and brickbats. The demonstrators also vandalised a police vehicle.
Besides charging batons, police fired 20 teargas shells and rubber bullets.
RANGAMATI
Three BNP activists were injured when police charged batons on their march near Rangamati municipality office.
NILPHAMARI
Police fired 12 rounds of rubber bullets and 3 rounds of tear gas shells to disperse opposition activists as they tried to defy police obstruction to their march in the town.
Thirty including 10 police and two journalists were injured, and police arrested 5 demonstrators.
NATORE
Fifty people including a journalist were injured in Natore when alleged activists of ruling party backed BCL and Jubo League hurled brick bats at a BNP-Jamaat march in Natore town. Police arrested four Jamaat activists from the procession.
BARGUNA
Barred by police from going to their party office or gathering in the town, BNP activists hurled brick bats at the law enforcers. In reply, police shot rubber bullets at them. The clash left 50 including 15 police injured.
Later the protesters set 2 police motorbikes on fire, while police arrested 20 BNP activists from the scene.
SUNAMGANJ
Five BNP activists sustained injuries as police charged batons on their procession in the town.
BRAHMANBAR IA
Four Jamaat activists were injured when police lobbed teargas shells on their procession at Kalibari point in the town.
BANDARBAN
Twenty BNP activists and 10 police were injured during a clash in front of BNP office in Bandarban town. Police later arrested 30 BNP activists, reported UNB.
(Our correspondents from Dinajpur, Kishoreganj, Kurigram, Rangamati, Nilphamari, Natore, Barguna, Sunamganj, and Brahmanbaria contributed to this report.)