3 more killed in violence

At least three people were killed in Gaibandha and Chapainawabganj districts on Friday as violence continued for the second consecutive day over the conviction of Jamaat-e-Islami stalwart Delwar Hossain Sayedee in war crimes.

Rowdy Jamaat and Islami Chhatra Shibir activists allegedly beat a shop-owner to death at Sunderganj upazila in Gaibandha on Friday morning, forcing authorities to slap Section 144.

The district’s Superintendent of Police AKM Nahidul Islam told bdnews24.com that Jamaat supporters vandalised a number shops at Gangsarhat Bazar under Shantiram union.

“The local shop-owners had an altercation with the Jamaat men over the issue around 7:30pm. At one stage, the miscreants beat the shopkeepers severely, leaving shop-owner Shariful Islam Ranju, 35, dead on the spot,” he said.

Awami League’s union unit President Surajit Kumar claimed Ranju, hailing from Paran village, to be their activist.

Seven others were injured in the clash and admitted to the Upazila Health Complex.

Officer-In-Charge of Sundarganj Police Station Manjur Rahman said as the news of Ranju’s death spread, angry locals vandalised two madrasas and some shops owned by Jamaat and Shibir leaders and activists at Bamandanga.

A running battle also took place between the Awami League and Jamaat supporters at Gangsarhat Bazar.

Later, police and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) controlled the situation.

The Jamaat and Shibir activists ran riot on Thursday after the International Crimes Tribunal-1 sentenced Sayedee to death for war crimes during the 1971 Liberation War. At least 35 people were killed, mostly in police firing, across the country during clashes that day.

Meanwhile, police constable Tomazzel Haque, injured in Thursday’s clashes, succumbed to injuries in the Rangpur Medical College and Hospital early Friday morning.

Immediately after the verdict against Sayedee was delivered, Jamaat and Shibir men attacked Bamandanga railway station in Sundarganj upazila and set fire to a warehouse and railway engineers’ office, uprooted rail tracks, put barricades on roads and vandalised several shops.

As police obstructed them, the unruly pickets attacked policemen with lethal weapons, killing three constables on the spot. Five other constables were admitted to the hospital with serious injuries.

The funeral prayer for constables Bablu Mia and Nazim Uddin were held at Gaibandha Police Lines ground after the Juma prayers. The namaj-e-janaza for two other policemen – Hazrat Ali and ‘Tomazzel’ – was held at Rangpur Police Lines.

Two cases were filed with Sundarganj Police for murders of policemen, attack on police station, vandalism and arson.

OC Monjur Rahman said some 20,000 unidentified and 100 identified people, including former Gaibandha-1 (Sundarganj) constituency lawmaker Abdul Aziz, were made accused.

The OC said processes were underway to lodge cases over the vandalising of Awami League office at Bamandanga, rail station, Sundarganj Freedom Fighters’ Association office and Belka Union Parishad building, residence of the Upazila Vice-Chairman, and the torching of residences of some other Awami League leaders.

Panic was prevailing in Sundarganj and Bamandanga and the traders kept their businesses shut.

Sporadic clashes also erupted between the supporters of the Awami League and Jamaat and Shibir activists in different parts of the upazila on Friday.

SP Nahidul Islam said two platoons of BGB were deployed in Sundarganj from 8pm on Thursday to maintain law and order. In addition, section 144 was imposed for an indefinite period to avert further untoward situation.

In Chapainawabganj, a man was killed and at least 10 others were injured as Jamaat and Shibir people clashed with supporters of the ruling Awami League at Pardilalpur village in Shibganj upazila on Friday.

The deceased was identified as Abdur Rahim, 45, son of Makbul Hossain of Namdhobra village in the upazila. Jamaat claimed Rahim was its activist

The injured received treatment in the local clinics and hospitals.

Quoting the locals, Akmal Hossain, Inspector of the Special Branch at the office of Superintendent of Police, said both groups equipped with bamboo sticks and sharp weapons attacked each other, leaving Rahim dead on the spot around 12pm.

The clash took place following violence by Jamaat supporters in different areas including upazila headquarters on Thursday.

The official further said police filed three cases with the Sadar and Shibganj police each and one with the Bholahat police over Thursday’s violence.

Some 12,000 Jamaat-Shibir leaders and activists have made accused in the cases.