C T Online Desk: At least 93 people, including 14 policemen, were killed and dozens injured as a new wave of widespread violence erupted across the country on Sunday, the first day of a non-cooperation movement enforced by the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement to press for its demand for resignation of the government.
Of the policemen, 13 were killed in an attack on a police station in Sirajganj alone while the rest died in Cumilla.
Numerous establishments and vehicles were also vandalised and torched during the clashes that took place between protesters, police and activists of Awami League and its associate bodies amid gunshots coupled with sound grenades and teargas canisters.
Additionally, five readymade garment factories – Hameem Godown, Sinha Textile, Beximco Textile, Doreen Textile and another factory owned by Bengal Group – in Savar’s Ashulia were torched by miscreants.
Following the incidents, the BGMEA announced closure of RMG factories across the country for an indefinite period of time.
Of the deceased, 22 were killed in Sirajganj, 10 in Dhaka, eight in Feni and Lakshmipur each, six in Narsingdi, five in Sylhet and Bogura each, four in Kishoreganj, Magura and Rangpur each, three in Munshiganj, Bhola, Pabna and Cumilla each, two in Sherpur and one died in Joypurhat, Habiganj and Barishal each.
Attacks were carried out on Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) in the capital, the house of former President Abul Hamid, at least 26 police stations. A large number of vehicles were torched and vandalised on the BSMMU premises.
Police establishments that came under attack are Enayetpur, Eliotganj Highway, Jatrabari, Khilgaon, Tangail Gorai Highway, Bogura, Dupchachia, Sherpur, Joypurhat, Gangachhara, Mithapukur, Pirgachha, Pirganj, Badarganj, Brahmanbari, Ashuganj, Ullahpara, Shahjadpur and Dinajpur Sadar police stations, Madhabpur and Narail police outposts, Mymensingh Range office, Narayanganj, Bogura, Pabna and Sirajganj Police Super offices, according to the Police Headquarters.
Apart from the killing of 14 policemen, 300 others suffered injuries during the attacks, it said.
The capital city turned into a battleground as at least eight people were killed in clashes between protesters, police and the ruling party men at Uttara, Mirpur and Dhanmondi.
Since the morning, the roads at Uttara, Vatara, Badda, Aftabnagar, Shantinagar, Shahbagh, Karwan Bazar, Dhaka University, Science Lab and Dhanmondi went under the control of agitating students but the clashes ensued when the ruling party men took out processions.
At least two people — a student and an AL leader — were killed during clashes between protesters and supporters of the ruling party at Uttara. At least 30 people sustained bullet injuries during the mayhem.
The deceased AL leader was identified as Dhaka North AL ward-1 former president Anwarul Islam, his brother and former MP Habib Hasan told the media.
The deceased student was identified as Mahim, 17, according to health officials at Uttara Adhunik Hospital where Mahim was taken with bullet injuries. He died while on the way to the hospital.
Witnesses said protesters gathered at Jasimuddin Road, Azampur and Rajlaxmi areas in Uttara since 11am and one hour later, AL supporters marched in a procession towards Jasimuddin Road, leading to a clash with the protesters.
The protesters soon took control of the area as they outnumbered the AL supporters. At that time, law enforcers advanced towards the protesters firing bullets, teargas shells and sound grenades.
Meanwhile, visiting Uttara Adhunik Hospital, Crescent Hospital, Bangladesh Kuwait-Maitree Hospital, our correspondent found that at least 35 injured were receiving treatment there. Most of them were hit by bullets.
Abdullah Siddiqui, 23, a student of Habibullah Bahar Degree College, was shot to death in Zigatala area.
At least two people were killed in clashes in Mirpur-10 and one of them was identified as Miraz, 24. He was shot in the chest with a shotgun.
Another person with injuries suffered during clashes in Mirpur breathed his last at the National Institute of Neurosciences & Hospital in Agargaon. However, his identity could not be confirmed immediately.
Ramiz Uddin, 24, a student of Daffodil International University, was killed in Karwan Bazar. Ramiz was the son of Mohammad Rahel of Rangpur.
The body of an unidentified youth, 25, was brought to Dhaka Medical College Hospital. He bore injury marks.
Jahir Uddin, who sustained bullet at Gulistan, died at Mitford Hospital.
Two persons were reportedly killed in Keraniganj and Savar on the outskirts of the capital.
Sources in the DMCH said 234 people, mostly bullet-hit, were taken to the hospital from Shahbagh, Shanirakhra, Nayabazar, Dhanmondi, Science Lab, Paltan and Press Club areas in the capital and Munshiganj till 7:00pm.
In Sirajganj, at least 13 policemen were killed when miscreants attacked Enayetpur Police Station, AKM Kamrul Ahsan, public relations officer at the Police Headquarters, told the Daily Sun.
Meanwhile, another police member was killed as miscreants attacked Eliotganj Highway Police Station in Cumilla, he said.
Not fewer than nine other people were killed in clashes between police, ruling party men and the protesters in Sirajganj district.
In Feni, eight people were killed and over 30 injured in a clash between police, Awami League activists and protesters at Mohipal in the afternoon.
The identity of the deceased could not be known immediately. The protesters carried out an attack on the Mohipal Police Box.
Feni Sadar Hospital Superintendent Abul Khair Miazi said, “At least five bodies were brought to the hospital.”
He said 30 people who suffered injuries in the clash were also admitted there.
In Lakshmipur, eight people were killed and 50 others injured in a clash between the ruling party men and protesters in Uttar Temuhoni and Jhumur areas around 11:00am. Three motorcycles were torched during the mayhem.
In Narsingdi, at least six people were killed during the clashes at Madhabdi, according to eyewitnesses.
Two of the deceased were identified as former president of the district Swechchhasebak League Moniruzzaman and a union parishad chairman Delwar Hossain Shahin.
In Joypurhat, the district town witnessed sporadic bloody clashes, leaving at least one person dead and 50 others injured. The deceased was identified as Mehedi Hasan.
Rubber bullets and teargas canisters were hurled at protesters who responded with sticks and brickbats.
The wounded included lawmaker of Joypurhat-1 constituency Advocate Shamsul Alam Dudu. The condition of a number of the injured was reported to be critical.
In Bogura, at least five people were killed and nine suffered bullet wounds in a clash between the protesters and policemen at Sadar and Dupchachia at noon.
Of the deceased, one was Munirul Islam, 34, of Birkedar in Kahalu. He was hit by a bullet in the head. The wounded were undergoing treatment at Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital.
Dupchanchia Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer confirmed Munirul’s death.
In Sylhet, five people were killed and around 25, including policemen and Border Guard Bangladesh men, were injured in clashes in Golapganj upazila and other parts of the district.
One of the deceased was identified as Taj Uddin, 43, a businessman of Dharabohor village in the upazila, confirmed Gopalganj Upazila Health Officer Sudarshan Sen.
In Munshiganj, AL, Jubo League and BCL men clashed with the protesting students in the district town, leaving at least three people dead.
Abu Hena Jamal, superintendent of Munshiganj General Hospital, said about 30 bullet-hit people were admitted to the hospital in the morning. They are between 22 and 25 years old.
In Rangpur, not fewer than four people were killed and at least 10 injured as a clash occurred between the protesters and the ruling party men.
In Magura, at least four people were killed and many others injured when clashes took place between the protesters and police.
One of the deceased was identified as Mehedi Hasan Rabbi, joint general secretary of the district unit of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, confirmed Publicity Secretary of the district BNP Advocate Mizanur Rahman.
The clashes occurred at Parnanduali in the district town around 11:30am.
In Pabna, at least three people were killed as the ruling party men fired bullets at the students in the Kheyaghat Mor area. A chase and counter-chase also took place, leaving at least 35 people injured.
Then, the agitating students set a vehicle of an AL leader on fire.
In Cumilla, at least two people were killed in a clash in front of Ajgar Ali Girls’ High School at Debidwar apart from a policeman. The clash also wounded at least 15 people.
Of the deceased, one was identified as Abdur Razzak Rubel, 26, son of late Rafiqul Islam of the Debidwar municipal area.
In Kishoreganj, bloody clashes left at least four people dead and over 200 injured in Station Road and Khorompotti areas in the morning. One of the deceased was identified as Mobin, 28.
The district AL office, Kishoreganj Model Police Station, former President Md Abdul Hamid’s residence, district AL Joint General Secretary advocate Syed Ashfaqul Islam Titu’s residence, a police outpost, and several other establishments were also vandalised and torched.
Two bodies were kept in Kishoreganj 250-bed Modern Sadar Hospital and one in Shaheed Syed Nazrul Islam Medical College Hospital.
In Sherpur, clashes between protesters and police and ruling party men left two people dead.
In Bhola, one was killed and a large number of people were injured during clashes between the protesters and the ruling party men at Natun Bazar in Sadar upazila.
The protesters vandalised and torched the district AL and Swechchhasebak League offices.
In Chattogram, sporadic clashes and chases and counter-chases took place among the protesters and the police, AL and BCL men at different places of the city and district, leaving at least 250 people injured, including many with bullets.
Of the injured, around 170 persons were rushed to the Chattogram Medical College Hospital (CMCH).
The BCL men allegedly attacked and vandalised the city BNP office in the afternoon.
In Jhenaidah, at least 30 persons were injured when the protesters were locked in a fierce clash with the ruling party men and police in the district town.
In Gazipur, chase and counter-chase took place between the protestors and cops at different points in the city area.
Shariful Isla, PRO of Border Guard Bangladesh, said about 50 BGB members were injured in the clashes across the country.
