Jamaat unleashes violence, 35 killed

Jamaat-e-Islami plunged Bangladesh into a convulsion of violence on Thursday as its supporters let loose a fresh wave of deadly clashes over the judgement of party stalwart Delwar Hossain Sayedee.

Fierce clashes in six districts left at least 35 people, including four policemen, dead and hundreds injured as police battled mob amid a strike the party had called.

The clashes intensified as the news of Jamaat leader Sayadee’s death penalty spread in the afternoon.

Police said they came under attack by the activists of Jamaat and its student front Islami Chhatra Shibir who used bombs and even firearms to target them.

The law keepers say they retaliated with tear gas and rubber bullets but had to open fire in some places to control the situation.

The northern districts were the worst hit with six deaths reported from Gaibandha, five in Thakurgaon, five in Rangpur, two in Sirajganj, and one each in Dinajpur, Natore, Rajshahi, Chapainawabganj and Bogra.

Four deaths were reported from Satkhira, three from Chittagong, two in Noakhali, one each in Dhaka, Cox’s Bazar and Moulvibazar.

RANGPUR

Five people were killed and over 100 injured in clashes at Mithapukur upazila after International Crimes Tribunal-1 handed down death verdict for Sayedee.

Residents say the Jamaat activists attacked police from a procession in the upazila headquarters at noon. They used iron rods and hurled stones at the law enforcers.

Officer-in-Charge of Mithapukur Police Station Abu Hena Mostafa Kamal told bdnews24.com that police fired in self-defence. At least 20 protestors received bullet wounds during the fierce clash, he said.

The four who died have been identified as Mahmudul Hasan, 20, Mashiur Rahman, 22, Shahed Ali, 45, and Sadequr Rahman, 19.

The bodies have been kept at Mithapukur Upazila Health Complex morgue. Of the injured, 50 were admitted to Rangpur Medical College and Hospital.

Sub-Inspector Rezaul Karim said that they retrieved the body of one Ashiqur Rahman, 20, of Imdadpur of the Upazila, from a paddy land around 8pm.

THAKURGAON

Five people died when Bangladesh Border Guard (BGB) members opened fire to disperse Jamaat activists at Goria Bazar of the Sadar Upazila in the afternoon.

The deceased were identified as one ‘Firoj’, 23, Rabiul Islam Badal, 30, ‘Monir’, 21, ‘Mithun’, 20, and ‘Sumon’, 26, said Rangpur Sadar Hospital’s Dr Abdul Jabbar.

Many others who received bullet wounds are being treated at the hospital.

Superintendent of Police Foysal Mahmud said police fired after they were attacked by pro-strike pickets.

Eyewitnesses said the unruly supporters vandalised six shops at Goria Bazar following Sayadee’s death penalty. They also attacked and vandalised some houses in the neighbouring areas during the mayhem.

When intercepted by police and the paramilitary forces, the Jamaat supporters swooped on them. Police fired to disperse the violent mob.

GAIBANDHA

Six people including three police constables were killed in a violent clash between the police and unruly Jamaat activists at Sundarganj upazila in the evening.

The deceased constables were identified as Hazrat Ali, ‘Bablu’ and ‘Nizam’. The three Jamaat supporters who died could not be named immediately, said Superintendent of Police AKM Nahidul Islam

Police and eyewitnesses said the clash broke out as several hundred leaders and activists of Jamaat and Shibir took to the streets protesting the death penalty.

Police fired indiscriminate shots as the unruly men tried to attack Sundarganj Police Station, killing three people on the spot.

The mob attacked Bamandanga railway station in the upazila and set fire to a godown and Railway engineers’ office.

The demonstrators also attacked police as they tried to bring the situation under control, leaving the three cops dead and five others injured.

SIRAJGANJ

Two died and 25 others were injured, many reportedly from gunshot wounds, during clashes between demonstrators and police amidst the nationwide strike.

Sirajganj Sadar Hospital’s Senior Surgeon Dr Golam Rabbani told bdnews24.com that two people died and dozens of others were admitted to the hospital with bullet injuries.

The Jamaat men tried to block a road in upazila’s Chandidasgati with logs. They attacked police when the law keepers intervened, eyewitnesses said.

Police and Rapid Action Battalion lobbed teargas shells and fired rubber bullets to restore order.

Nurulla Khan, 25, and Ruhul Amin, 16, injured during the clashes, succumbed to their wounds on way to hospital.

A RAB vehicle was also targeted by those picketing in support of the strike.

The injured were admitted to several local hospitals.

Section 144 was slapped in the district headquarters following the sporadic clashes between Jamaat activists and police.

NATORE

Jamaat activists beat a local Juba League leader to death in Kadamchilan of Lalpur upazila.

The deceased was identified as Khairul Bashar, 40, son of ‘Dulu Dkatar ‘of the village.

Sub-Inspector of Walia Police Outpost Abdur Rob told bdnews24.com that the Jamaat activists attacked and set ablaze a police vehicle at Kadamchilan on the Natore-Pabna Highway following the verdict.

Police fired several times while Jamaat supporters snatched away a shotgun and a rifle from them and severely beat them up.

Later, the Jamaat supporters attacked the house of ‘Dulu Daktar’ and beat his son to death.

DINAJPUR

A man was killed and some people, including an Assistant Superintendent of Police, sustained bullet wounds when the BGB members opened fire on the Jamaat activists in Chirirbandar upazila.

The deceased was identified as Foyezar Rahman, 30.

Superintendent of Police Debdas Bhattacharjya said the Jamaat pickets set fire to three business establishments at Nasaratpur on the Dinajpur-Rangpur Highway in the upazila. As the BGB personnel rushed to the spot, the Jamaat men attacked them. Later, the BGB opened fire to disperse them.

NOAKHALI

At least two people were killed as the demonstrators clashed with law enforcers at different points of the district town.

Additional Superintendent of Police Mahbub Rashid told bdnews24.com the Jamaat-Shibir men vandalised 12 buses and set ablaze four more at Al-Amin Bus Depot at Datterhat in the town.

Police fired over 100 rounds of bullets from shotguns to bring the situation under control.

Police and eyewitnesses said that one ‘Khokon’, 20, a truck helper, died in police firing during a clash.

In another incident, one youth, ‘Liton’, was gunned down during a Shibir-police clash at Rajganj Bazar in Begumganj upazila in the afternoon.

Following the verdict, Jamaat and Shibir activists set fire to two temples and several houses of Hindus in Sadar and Begumganj upazilas.

SATKHIRA

Four people were killed and 20 others injured as the Jamaat-Shibir activists clashed with police and BGB at the Sadar upazila.

The deceased include two Shibir activists – ‘Tuhin’ and ‘Saiful’ and a Juba League leader Shahin and Chhatra League leader Al-Mamun.

The clash erupted after a huge number of Jamaat-Shibir activists armed with firearms, explosives and lethal weapons took out a procession from Kadamtala, on the outskirts of the district town, and marched towards the town and the BGB and police intercepted them. The Jamaat activists opened fire at the police who retaliated, leaving three dead on the spot.

The Jamaat men set ablaze the house of Chhatra League leader Al-Mamun and hacked him severely. He died later.

RAJSHAHI

A Shibir activist was killed in a mob beating at Bagha upazila. The dead was identified as Amirul Islam of Ahmadpur village.

OC of Bagha Police Station Hamidur Rashid said that the locals chased Jamaat adherents who took out a procession in the upazila headquarters.

At one stage of the clash between the pro-liberation activists and Jamaat men, the mob beat up Amirul severely. Fifteen others were also injured in the clash.

Police rescued Amirul and sent him to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital where he died at around 9pm.

CHAPAINAWABGANJ

A youth was killed in police firing during a violent clash between the law enforcers and pro-shutdown supporters at Shibtala of the district town. The dead was identified as Nasir Uddin, 23, son of Mofiz Uddin of Gopalnagar of Shibganj upazila.

OC of Sadar Police Station Golam Mortaza said the Jamaat and Shibir activists blocked the Chapainawabganj-Sona Masjid Highway at Shibtala. As the police went to the spot, they hurled brick chips and crude bombs at the law enforcers, prompting police to open fire.

Three received bullet wounds and they were rushed to Chapainawabganj Sadar Hospital where doctors declared Nasir dead.

CHITTAGONG

Three people, including a police constable, were killed in sporadic clashes at Lohagarha and Rajghata of the district.

Eyewitnesses said after the verdict, the Jamaat activists staged demonstrations at Rajaghat and then attacked police. As police personnel took shelter at Golden City Community Centre, the mob attacked pounced on them again, drawing teargas shells and rubber bullets from the law keepres.

One Mesbah Uddin, 20, died at one stage of the clash.

Officer-In-Charge of Lohagarha Police Station Shahjahan said that the Shibir men set fire to several vehicles.

A police constable ‘Tarique’, 23, who sustained serious injuries in the attack, died on his way to hospital.

COX’S BAZAR

A madrasa student ‘Sajjad’ died and many others wounded in police firing during a clash with Jamaat adherents at Eidgah in Pekua upazila headquarters in the afternoon.

The marauding Jamaat men also torched at least 15 vehicles during the clash, OC of Pekua Police Station Anwar Hossain told bdnews24.com.

In another incident, an old man was killed in an attack by the Jamaat activists at Bashkhali upazila. The deceased was identified as Hari Shil, 65, of Chambal village of the upazila.

OC of the Bashkhali Police Station Abdur Sabur told bdnews24.com that the man came under attack when he was on his way to his daughter’s at Dhopaparha. He died at the hospital.

MOULVIBAZAR

A man was killed and at least 10 others, including police personnel, injured in a clash between police and demonstrators at Kathaltoli Bazar under Barlekha upazila in the afternoon.

The clash erupted when police intercepted a procession taken out by Jamaat and Shibir activists just after the announcement of the verdict against Sayedee.

Later, police opened fire indiscriminately to bring the situation under control, leaving a madrasa student dead on the spot.

The deceased was identified as Lokman Ahmed, 25, son of Abdul Mannan of Dohalia of the upazila.

OC (investigation) of Barlekha Police Station said that six policemen were also injured in the skirmishes.

Jamaat Upazila unit General Secretary Foysal Ahmed claimed that the victim was their activists.

BOGRA

A man was killed in sporadic clashes between the law enforcers and Jamaat activists at Sujabad of the district’s Shajahanpur upazila in the evening.

The dead was identified as Sabed Ali, 45.

OC of the Shahjahanpur Police Station Mahmudul Alam said that after the verdict, the Jamaat leaders and activists took out a procession from Colony area. As police interrupted them, the rowdy activists exploded around six crude bombs forcing police to open fire.

DHAKA

A man was killed as unidentified miscreants exploded bombs in the city's Mirpur-1 in the evening.

The deceased -- a van driver aged about 60 -- could not be identified instantly.

The victim was rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) where doctors declared him dead, Sub-Inspector of the DMCH Police Outpost Baschu Mia told bdnews24.com.

The man received serious burn injuries in the face.