Hifazat attacks strikers in Dhaka

Several people including a policeman were injured in an attack by supporters of Hifazat-e Islam at a rally of Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee in Dhaka from their procession on Saturday.

Nirmul Committee was one of the 25 organisations that had called for a shutdown to thwart the Hifazat rally.

Witnesses said supporters of the radical group attacked the Nirmul Committee activists who had been squatting near the Amtoli Rail Crossing in support of the strike.

Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee leaders claimed several of its activists were injured in the attack.

"The Hifazat procession started pelting our supporters with brickbats. They came and smashed our chairs," said Nirmul Committee Vice President Prof Muntasir Mamun.

Mamun said the Hifazat supporters had attacked their supporters when they saw the banner of the Nirmul Committee. “A group of Hifazat’s hired men attacked us at the behest of the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami.”

The attack took place in the presence of police, some of whom, Mamun said, were injured in the attacks.

Supporters of the Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee were seen taking up positions on the street after the attacks.

Large number of RAB and police were seen deployed in the area and Hifazat supporters were seen passing by in processions.

“The existence of Bangladesh is at risk. The country will be wiped [from the face of the world] if Jamaat is not outlawed,” Mamun said.

He claimed none of their supporters had done any picketing.

Sub Inspector Imdad Hossain had been injured in the Hifazat attack.

Anowarul Islam, a witness who resides at Amtoli, told bdnews24.com the Hifazat supporters had attacked without any provocation.

"Is it called Hifazat-e Islam?" he wondered.

He said the group's supporters not only vandalised the Nirmul Committee stage but also took away two mikes.

Another witness Tanvir Ahmed said around 200 people had gathered under the banner of Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee at the Amtoli crossing, without about 100 policemen deployed in the area.

He said slogans were raised demanding maximum penalty for ‘razakars’ as the procession was passing by. "This apparently prompted the procession to turn around and attack the Nirmul Committee stage. They hurled bottles, shoes and brickbats."