Dbarta report : Three passenger buses and a police car were set on fire after a clash between police officers, BNP leaders and activists during the party’s sit-in program in the Matuail area of the city on Thursday.
In addition, at least 20 policemen were injured when BNP activists clashed with police during the party’s sit-in program at the entrances to the city. BNP called today’s sit-in program without the prior permission of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP).
Among the injured policemen, Joint Police Commissioner (Southern Traffic) SM Mehdi Hasan and Sub-Inspector (SI) of Sutrapur Police Station Nahid are receiving treatment for serious injuries.
BNP leaders and activists began meeting with clubs at the entrances to the city, including Gabtoli, Abdullapur, Dhulikhal, Uttara and Matuail, around 11 am.
At some point, they took up positions on all major highways and stopped traffic. When the police tried to remove them to ensure traffic and reduce disturbance to the public, they (BNP activists) threw bricks at the police and attacked the police vehicles.
They blew cocktail bottles in different parts of the capital. Cars were vandalized and set on fire in many places. The police fired tear gas and rubber bullets to control the situation. Police also arrested 90 people on charges of illegal assembly at various points in the city and involvement in acts of vandalism and burning cars.
BNP activists set fire to three buses in the Matuail area, while a police car was set on fire and several vehicles vandalized in the shyamoli area.
One of the policemen who witnessed the incident said that more than a hundred people came out in a procession from the gabtoli area, with sticks and rods in their hands.
They set fire to a police car, which was parked on the street in front of shaymoli, around 1:15 pm, and destroyed several buses and cars at that time.