Four killed during Jamaat strike

Four people have been killed in violence during the daylong shutdown enforced by the Jamaat-e-Islami to protest the trial of its guru Ghulam Azam.

News Deskbdnews24.com
Published : 15 July 2013, 08:48 AM
Updated : 15 July 2013, 11:51 AM

Leaders and activists of the radical party and its student affiliate Islami Chhatra Shibir ran riot across the country on Monday, when the International Crimes Tribunal was scheduled to deliver verdict on the Azam case over alleged war crimes during country’s Liberation War in 1971.

They exploded bombs, vandalised and torched vehicles and locked in clashes with police during the strike.

Three Shibir activists – two in Kushtia and one in Chapainawabganj – and a local Awami League leader in Satkhira were killed during the shutdown.

The Jamaat called the strike for the day which was fixed by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT)-1 to announce the verdict.

Amid the strike, the tribunal awarded 91-year-old Azam 90 years in jail as he was found guilty of all five categories of crime – conspiracy, planning, incitement, complicity (abetment) and murder.

bdnews24.com correspondents report from across the country:

Kushtia

Two Shibir activists were killed by the local people in Mirpur Upazila under Kushtia early on Monday for trying to create a road blockade, police said.

Kushtia Additional Superintendent of Police Sohel Reza said another Shibir supporter was injured in a clash at Halsa village.

The dead were identified as Al-Mukit Tarun, 22, and Sabuj Ahmed, 18.

Chapainawabganj

A Jamaat man was killed in Shibganj when activists of the party and Chhatra Shibir clashed with with police.

The man killed was identified as Nurul Islam, 43.

Shibganj Police Station Officer-in-Charge Mizanur Rahman said the clash flared around 1 pm when the police tried to prevent Jamaat and Shibir activists from blocking the Chapainawabganj-Sonamosjid highway.

Nurul Islam was hit by a bullet in the chest.

Satkhira

A local Awami League leader was killed in attacks allegedly by Jamaat and Shibir activists in Satkhira.

Awami League’s Satkhira Sadar Upazila unit General Secretary Moniruzzman Moni said Jamaat and Shibir men attacked Abdul Aziz, ruling party’s leader in Sakhirpur union, around 11 am.

He was rushed to the Satkhira General Hospital, where doctors declared him dead.

The police, however, did not confirm that Jamaat and Shibir men were involced.

Jamaat’s Upazila unit chief Ameer Asaduzzman Mukul claimed that Aziz was attacked in a sequel to a family feud.

Meanwhile, the strike supporters burnt tyres at various places to block the Satkhira-Jessore highway.

They torched a goods-aden truck, vandalised a car and exploded around 15 crude bombs. Ten people were injured when a vehicle, chased by pro-shutdown activists, fell into a ditch.

The police dispersed the mob.

Chittagong

A pedestrian was badly wounded when Shibir activists exploded bombs at Agrabad in Chittagong city around 9am. He was identified as ‘Jamal’, police said.

They said Jamaat and Shibir men torched a human hauler in city’s Akbar Shah area and a truck in Sitakunda.

Sylhet

The strike supporters took out processions and blockaded roads in Sylhet city.

Metropolitan Police Additional Commissioner SM Rokan Uddin told bdnews24.com the no large-scale untoward incident happened in the city during the shutdown.

Barisal

Jamaat and Shibir activists vandalised and torched vehicles in Barisal city during the shutdown.

Kotwali Model Police Station Sub-Inspector Mohiuddin Sheikh said pickets set an auto-rickshaw ablaze in Chandur Market area around 8 am.

They blocked C&B Road with trunks around 5 am. They also hurled brickbats on police.

Gazipur

Pickets vandalised several vehicles and set fire on a bus and a taxicab at Chandna intersection in Gazipur.

Joydebpur Police OC (Investigation) Md Zahidul Islam said police doused the fire with the help of local people.

Tongi police chief Abul Kalam Azad said pro-strike activists vandalised several vehicles in College Gate area around 9 am during a procession.

Feni

Pickets vandalised more than 50 vehicles at different places on Dhaka-Chittagong Highway in Feni.

They also exploded two crude bombs in front of the Feni Press Club around 12 pm.

According to highway police control room, pro-shutdown activists torched a truck at Mohammad Ali Bazar on Feni-Comilla Highway around 5 am. Fire service personnel rushed to the spot and doused the blaze.

Feni Model Police Station chief Md Moazzem Hossain said the law enforcers rounded up 14 Shibir activists and one Jamaat man during raids in the early hours of the day.

Sirajganj

Jamaat and Shibir activists raided and ransacked the house of an Awami League supporter at Kamarkhand in Sirajganj during the strike. At least eight people were injured in the attack.

Kamarkhand OC said 40-50 activists attacked the house of Hazrat Ali of Chairagati village.

Meanwhile, Jamaat and Shibir pickets vandalised two vehicles in Kamarkhand Upazila during the strike. They clashed with police personnel who were later able to disperse them.

Pickets also vandalised four vehicles at Boalia and Purbodelua Bazar on Sirajganj-Nagarbari Highway.

Naogaon

Police foiled an attempt of Shibir activists to vandalise vehicles in Naogaon district town’s Tajer More. They also arrested 12 leaders and activists of the Shibir from the spot.

Joypurhat


Pickets uprooted a part of Dinajpur-Rajshahi rail track in Joypurhat snapping communications from 10 am to 12 pm. Five trains were stranded at Joypurhat station.

They also torched a paddy-laden truck at Shuktahar on Jaypurhat-Akkelpur Road.

Lakshmipur

Jamaat and Shibir activists exploded crude bombs and blockaded a key road in Lakshmipur during the shutdown.

Witnesses said the pickets blocked Ramgati-Lakshmipur Road with logs around 7 am.

Jhenidah


Jamaat and Shibir men set four trucks on fire at Shailkupa in the early hours of Monday.

Shailkupa police chief Anwar Hossain said they torched the paddy-laden trucks and fled.