report on The Daily Star online, July 29, 2023 at 05.59pm
It was almost like a “joint operation” in Uttara in the capital today when police and ruling party leaders and activists attacked BNP supporters, leaving several injured.
Witnesses said the BNP men were mostly unarmed at that time.
According to witnesses, the AL men first took position in sector-8 area near Abdullahpur around 10:30am where a large number of law enforcers were already in place.
Around 11:15am, members of the ruling party brought out a procession in the area.
Many of them were seen carrying sticks, rods and hammers.
After a while, BNP members started taking position in front of BNS centre in sector-7 area. They brought out a procession and continued for around five minutes.
Soon, a clash erupted between BNP and AL activists, joined by police.
Law enforcers lobbed at least one sound grenade and two teargas canisters to disperse the crowd, according to a police official on the spot.
Several BNP men were beaten up by police and AL activists, according to witnesses.
Of them, Abed Ali, 55, a BNP activist from Uttarkhan’s Motherbari area, was severely beaten by the AL men. Police were mere onlookers and did not come to his rescue, said witnesses. Abed was rushed to a local hospital.
Besides, police detained several persons from the spot, Morshed Alam, deputy commissioner of Uttara Division Police, said without confirming the number.
When asked why police favoured AL, the DC said, “We did not favour anyone. We just dispersed the gathering.”
Following the clash, the AL men were seen gathering on the Airport Road near Jashimuddin Road intersection and shouting slogans.
The situation became “normal” after 1:00pm as police and AL members stood guard to disperse BNP leaders and activists.
https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/politics/news/abdullahpur-police-al-join-hands-disperse-bnp-3381491
