Jamaat-Shibir attacks police after Nizami verdict

Jamaat-e-Islami and its student front Islami Chhatra Shibir have responded violently to its chief Motiur Rahman Nizami's war crimes verdict, by attacking police and exploding homemade bombs.

The clashes took place in Rajshahi, Chittagong, Sylhet and Chapainawabganj on Wednesday after the war crimes tribunal delivered its verdict.

Over 30 Shibir activists have been detained after the clashes .

Nizami's party Jamaat, which stands accused of committing war crimes during the Liberation War, has threatened disruption with general strike on Thursday, Sunday and Monday.

Jamaat-Shibir activists in Rajshahi took out a procession from the court premises and held a rally at the Court Station Morh.

They pelted police with stones after the rally and the law-enforcers responded by firing teargas and blank shotgun shots.

Five suspected protesters were detained from there.

The scene was similar in Chittagong's Sitakunda where Shibir activists fought pitched battles with police.

Sitakunda police OC Iftekhar Hossain said Shibir activists took out a procession to create unrest at Barhbkunda Bazar.

They hurled stones at police as the law-keepers approached. Police fired several times in the air to disperse the crowd.

Chittagong's Additional Deputy Police Commissioner Tanvir Arafat said they chased away Shibir activists when they gathered at Halishahar.

Five Shibir activists, including one Md Bappi, were nabbed from there.

Bappi, one of Shibir's leaders, is involved with various incidents of sabotage in the city, claimed Arafat.

Bakalia police said they had detained Shibir's Social Welfare Affairs Secretary Sarwar Alam and three others.

Police claim Bappi and Alam are accused in over 20 cases, including that of sabotage.

A committee has been formed to interrogate them.

City police's Additional Commissioner Banaj Kumar Majumdar said they had been looking for the duo for some time.

Kotwali police have detained seven Shibir activists when they tried to take out a procession at Chawkbazar.

Meanwhile, Shibir took out a flash procession in the evening at Sylhet's Meerabazar in support of Jamaat's shutdowns.

Kotwali police OC Asaduzzaman said several improvised bombs were exploded from the procession.

Police drove them away by firing several blank shots and detained 12 from there, he added.