At least 21 dead on first day of curfew
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families reportedly collected the bodies of their loved-ones from the scene, and this newspaper could not contact those families. The Daily Star’s count of the victims is based solely on hospital sources.
Some of yesterday’s fiercest clashes took place in Rayerbagh of Jatrabari, Mirpur-10, and Mohammadpur.
Besides, law enforcers opened fire on agitators when they took out processions at Badda and Malibagh rail crossing areas. They lobbed teargas canisters and sound grenades in Rayerbagh from low-flying helicopters. Gunshots were heard in Banasree areas as well, witnesses said.
Like in the past few days, Dhaka remained cut off from the rest of the country as road and rail communications remained suspended.
At least 11 international flights were either cancelled or delayed for hours “due to a lack of passengers and a glitch in the flight data system”, causing sufferings to several hundred passengers.
In an executive order, the government yesterday announced holidays for today and tomorrow for all government, autonomous, semi-autonomous and non-government offices except those providing emergency services, Public Administration Senior Secretary Mesbah Uddin Chowdhury told The Daily Star.
Chief Justice Obaidul Hassan also announced holidays for the lower courts. But one or multiple magistrates will perform duties at the courts of chief judicial and chief metropolitan magistrates round the clock, said a press release issued by the SC registrar general.
The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court and the High Court Division will function from 10:00am to 1:00pm.
Today, the apex court is set to hold hearing of two leave-to-appeal petitions that challenged the June 5 HC judgment, reinstating quotas in government jobs.
A tense situation prevails across the country.
Many citizens called The Daily Star reporters and voiced their concerns over the ongoing violence.
Streets of Dhaka wore a deserted look as only a handful number of rickshaws were seen plying. During the recess of curfew for two hours from 12 noon, many rushed to kitchen markets and other destinations for emergency work.
Almost all shops in the capital were closed. Many onlookers went to the main roads to assess the situation.
As the day progressed, hundreds of agitators, including members of the public, took to the streets to stage demonstration.
JATRABARI
Violent clashes took place in phases in Rayerbagh of Jatrabari as protesters blocked the Dhaka-Chattogram Highway from Chittagong Road area to Kajla by placing several trucks and covered vans haphazardly.
Law enforcers fired gunshots, lobbed teargas shells and sound grenades to disperse them. The protesters hurled brick chunks at the law enforcers, and also set afire tyres and planks of wood at different spots.
A local resident told The Daily Star around 5:30pm that he saw helicopters flying low.
“I saw choppers hovering and charging teargas canisters and sound grenades at the protesters,” he said.
Witnesses said that streets in Kajla, Rayerbagh, and Chittagong road of Jatrabari saw running battles between demonstrators and law enforcers since morning.
A tense situation has been prevailing in the area since Thursday.
MOHAMMADPUR
In Mohammadpur, the police fired bullets, teargas canisters and numerous sound grenades to prevent a crowd from reaching Mohammadpur Police Station in the afternoon.
The protesters threw brick chips and stones at police and then took position at Mohammadpur Bus Stand. They also blocked the road at different pointsfrom Mohammadpur Bus Stand to Beribadh area.
A reporter of The Daily Star was present there.
Members of the Armed Police Battalion, the BGB and the army reached the area around 5:15pm and a severe clash broke out between protesters and law enforcers.
Till 6:30pm, members of law enforcement agencies fired numerous shots while the demonstrators threw brickbats and stones.
Earlier, hundreds of protesters blocked Mohammadpur-Beribadh road and put up makeshift barricades in adjacent areas around 11:00am.
At one point, the agitators marched towards Mohammadpur Police Station, chanting anti-government slogans.
The protesters included students, children and general people, including women.
Hundreds of protesters also blocked Sat Masjid Road around 4:00pm.
Aged between 15 and 25, the agitators set up barricades at all major intersections from Dhanmondi 15 to Shankar neighborhood.
Around 6:00pm, police used teargas and sound grenades to disperse them. But the protesters, most of whom wore facemask, quickly took shelter in nearby lanes.
When police stopped firing, they regrouped and returned to the street, and hurled brick chunks and stones at police.
MIRPUR
Mirpur-10 and adjoining areas also saw severe clashes as law enforcers opened fire and charged teargas shells and sound grenades on the protesters who gathered on Rokeya Sarani from Kazipara to Benarashi Palli.
A number of residents and witnesses said they saw many injured being taken in ambulances and rickshaws from the spot. They saw also helicopters hovering in the sky.
Around 1:30pm, several hundred people, mostly youths, blocked the road near Kazipara Metro station. A media vehicle was torched there.
Things became tense around 1:45pm, when police opened fire on demonstrators, according to witnesses.
At 3:00pm, a huge number of people gathered on the road from Kazipara to Benarashi Palli and burnt tyres and woods at different places on the road. Additional police, Rab and BGB personnel were called in.
Locals saw armored vehicles and water cannons there.
Several hundred people then brought out a procession from the Kazipara end around 6:00pm when police, Rab and BGB members opened fire, leading to clashes, witnesses said.
At least four journalists were assaulted by protesters who expressed their anger, saying the media is not reporting the actual death toll.
Sporadic clashes also took place at different places on Mouchak-Rampura road for several hours. Law enforcers dispersed protesters by firing rubber bullets and teargas shells, witnesses said.
Parts of the road remain blocked since Thursday.
Talking to The Daily Star yesterday, assistant inspector general of police (media) said the two police members who were killed during clashes are Giasuddin, a Nayek of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, and Muktadir, an assistant sub-inspector of tourist police.
At least 650 police members were wounded across the country till Friday, he added.
However, he said he had no information about the total death toll or the volume of ammunition used on the protesters so far.
Rab director Legal and Media Wing Lt Col Munim Ferdous said none of their members was wounded yesterday. Till Friday, over 100 Rab members were injured, one of them critically. Besides, two Rab vehicles were torched, while two ambulances and nine pick-ups were vandalised.
He said both Rab and BGB were flying helicopters over the Dhaka sky to quell the protest.