AL activists clash with police, set fire on vehicles in city
1/29/2005


Angry Awami League (AL) activists Friday clashed with police and set ablaze several vehicles around the Central Shaheed Minar where the body of former finance minister Shah AMS Kibria was kept for a while after namaj-e-janaza, reports UNB.
The police and witnesses said the demonstrators set fire to three minibuses near Doyel Chattar, and one microbus and a motorcycle near the Central Shaheed Minar during clashes with the law enforcers.
The violence broke out at about 2:30 pm when the body of Kibria was brought to the Shaheed Minar. The police used more than 50 rounds of teargas shells and charged batons to disperse the protestors.
There had been chase and counter-chase between pickets and riot police that continued until 3:10 pm. The body of Kibria was again brought in a procession to BIRDEM hospital at about 3:30 pm from the Shaheed Minar.
Placing of wreaths on the body of the former AL leader continued until 3:10 pm amid firing of teargas shells by the policemen forcing the mourners to scurry for safety as panic gripped the whole Shaheed Minar area.
Angry AL workers beat Special Branch (SB) watcher Rafiqul Islam and allegedly snatched his wireless set during the melee. Movement of traffic on the nearby Chankharpool and Shahbag routes remained stopped for nearly one-and-a-half hour.
At least 50 opposition activists were injured in the clash with police, but Asaduzzaman Noor claimed that more than 100 of their workers were injured. City Mahila Awami League (south) leader Lipi Zaman, Swechchhasebok League activist Mizanur Rahman Sohel and Chhatra League leader Monir were among those who received injuries.
Earlier, people from all walks of life paid their respect to the late leader in the Shaheed Minar premises.
Additional police forces were deployed during the clash in the Saheed Minar area, where angry workers damaged four CNG auto rickshaws and a private car. Several roadside shops were also damaged by the workers.
Meanwhile, announcing a 60-hour hartal AL chief Sheikh Hasina said since there is no prospect of wining the next election, the alliance government has gone desperate to continue in power at any cost. They are using killers and terrors to annihilate Awami League.
Administering a note of caution for greater agitation, Hasina said, "Our movement will not end up in these three days of hartal... greater action programmes will be announced until the government stands down." 

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