Barishal bus service resumes after clashes between AL activists and police

Bus service in Barishal, which was halted following a clash of Awami League, Chhatra League and Jubo League activists with police and Ansar personnel over the removal of political banners, has resumed.

The buses started running again from 2 pm on Thursday, said Parimal Chandra Das, president of the Rupatoli Transport Union.

Launch service, which was also suspended, resumed too, said BIWTA Port Officer Mostafizur Rahman.

Before then, no vehicles had left the two major bus terminals of Nathullabad and Rupatoli.

Following the clash on Wednesday night, activists put up barriers along the Barishal-Dhaka highway on Thursday by parking buses and garbage trucks horizontally on the road.

At least 30 people, including Awami League leaders and activists, police and Ansar personnel were injured in the clashes. Barishal City Corporation Panel Mayor Rafiqul Islam Khokon was among the injured.

"Ansar and police attacked Awami League leaders and activists without any provocation," said Ahammed Shahriar Babu, general secretary of Rupatoli Workers Union.

After speaking to all parties, bdnews24.com found that a group of Awami League leaders and activists went to remove an old banner near the official residence of the Barishal Sadar Upazila Nirbahi officer around 9 pm. When this resulted in an altercation, UNO Munibur Rahman told them to come back in the morning. 

The group then left the scene but returned with reinforcements which led to a clash with Ansar members in charge of security at the UNO’s residence. Police arrived at the scene afterwards.

The two groups continued the altercation until early Thursday morning. Senior officials from police and local administration visited the scene.

“Police did what was necessary to keep the situation under control. Those who tried to hamper law and order, were dispersed by baton charges,” said Barishal Metropolitan Police Commissioner Shahabuddin Khan. He also said that Ansar members on duty at the UNO residence were injured and some people were arrested from the scene.

“We’ll take legal action after an investigation.”

Around 15 young people were ‘moving around’ riding motorbikes at the Upazila premises around 9.30 pm, said UNO Munibur Rahman.

“When I got to know about it from the Ansar personnel, I asked them to come in the morning. A man called Rajib Khan identified himself to be the organising secretary of the local Chhatra League and intruded into my house, saying he wanted to remove the banners immediately. For security reasons, they were forced out of the premises with the help of the Ansars.”

“At around 10:30 pm, around 60-70 people claiming to be leaders and activists of the Awami League returned and created chaos in front of my official residence. One of them identified himself as Hasan Mahmud Babu, joint secretary of the Metropolitan Awami League and another identified himself as local Chhatra League President Sazzad Serniabat. When I approached them near the main entrance, they surrounded me. That was the time the Ansar opened fire.”

The UNO said his aged parents -- both COVID patients -- witnessed the “incident of harassment” from the balcony.

A group of people came at night and began to remove the banners at the Upazila premises, said Abdur Rahman Gazi, in-charge of the Ansars maintaining security at the UNO’s residence.

“We informed [the UNO] but they left before he could come. They came again and this time [the UNO] went outside the gate and they surrounded him. When he gave the order, I opened fire.”

Barishal City Corporation Mayor Sadik Abdullah visited the scene that night.

“The Upazila premises are full of unnecessary banners. Our staff from the eviction department were removing them. The UNO prevented them from doing so and then there was gunfire. Hearing the news, I rushed to the scene to bring the situation under control,” the mayor said.