Police injured in Chittagong clashes

Supporters of radical Hifazat-e Islam and pro-government Bangladesh Chhatra League have clashed in Chittagong injuring several people including policemen.

Witnesses said the strikers had gathered at the WASA More and were agitating there in support of their 13-point charter of demands.

Tensions ran high as an anti-shutdown procession of Chhatra League showed up near the Ispahani More at around 10:45am and were engaged in pitched battles with Hifazat supporters.

Police intervened and lobbed tear gas shells to control the situation.

An Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police and several others were injured, bdnews24.com correspondents, present at the spot, said.

Deputy Commissioner of metropolitan police Abdullahel Baki told bdnews24.com the situation was now under control.

But he said tension prevailed as Hifazat supporters at the WASA More and Chhatra League activists at the Laalkhanbazar More were facing off.

Apart from a large number of policemen, Border Guard Bangladesh personnel were also deployed.

Widely believed to be backed by the Jamaat-e-Islami, the Chittagong-based group called for the shutdown during a rally in Dhaka. Their demands include punishment for ‘atheist bloggers’ of Shahbagh and banning public mixing of sexes.