5 killed in Hathazari clash

Five people were killed and up to 25 others injured when activists of Hifazat-e Islam clashed with law enforcers on Monday afternoon at Hathazari Upazila in Chittagong.

Staff Correspondent Chittagongbdnews24.com
Published : 6 May 2013, 07:55 AM
Updated : 6 May 2013, 02:59 PM

Police said the clashes were sparked by rumours about the arrest of Hifazat chief Shah Ahmad Shafi. But Shafi was flying back to Chittagong from Dhaka at the time of the clash.

He boarded the plane under police security.

Two people died of injuries at the Chittagong Medical College and Hospital (CMCH) at around 8pm Monday, CMCH Police Camp's Assistant Sub-Inspector Pankaj Barua told bdnews24.com.

They were identified as Saidur Rahman, 35, a Sergeant posted at the Chittagong Cantonment, and Anwar Jahid, 25, of Sylhet.

Rumours of Shafi's arrest spread after several media outlets in the afternoon reported that Shafi had been detained hours after Hifazat men were driven out of Dhaka's Motijheel in the early hours of Monday.

Agitated students of Darul Ulum Moynul Alam Madrasa, of which Shafi is the Director General, and activists of the Chittagong-based radical organisation started demonstrating and rampaging in areas adjacent to madrasa near Hathazari Bus Stand at around 4pm.

রাজধানীর গাবতলী এলাকায় হেফাজত ইসলামকর্মীদের অবরোধ।

Soon they started clashing with police, locals said. One of the deceased, Anwar Jahid was a student at that madrasa.
Earlier in the evening, Hathazari Police Station Officer-in-Charge Liakat Ali had confirmed deaths of three people.
Sub-Inspector of the CMCH Police Camp Jahirul Islam said two persons were declared dead by the doctors after they were taken to the hospital around 6:15pm. They had sustained bullet injuries.
The duo was identified as Md Jasim, 32, of Hathazari and Abu Noman, 40, of Kurigram. Noman was a teacher at Hathazari Adarsha Academy.
The other deceased was yet to be identified.
Police said some of the 25 injured from the clash were policemen. At least 11 others were also admitted at CMCH with injuries.
Locals said Hifazat men blockaded the Hathazari-Khagrhachharhi and Hathazari-Rangamati roads near the madrasa at around 3:45pm. They vandalised several vehicles and set some more on fire at the time.
Assistant Superintendent of Police at Hathazari circle AFM Nijamuddin said police fired into the air and lobbed teargas shells to turn the protesters back.
Meanwhile, Chittagong Additional SP (North) Farid Uddin said the situation was under control of the law enforcers as they stopped the clash.
Additional police forces were deployed in different areas at Hathazari after the incident while Border Guard Bangladesh personnel were patrolling the roads.
After the Hifazat activists were driven out from Motijheel in the capital, the organisation's Hathazari activists had blockaded the Chittagong-Hathazari, Hathazari-Khagrhachharhi, Hathazari-Rangamati roads. Road communications on those roads were still yet to resume.
The communication from the port city to Raujan and Fatikchharhi is also still at a halt due to this.
Meanwhile, Hifazat-e Islam Secretary General Junayed Babu Nagari was detained from the capital's Dhakeshwari National Temple area on Monday night, Dhaka Metropolitan Police's Deputy Commissioner Harun-ur Rashid told bdnews24.com.