DHAKA, June 11: Clashes between opposition activists and the law enforcers at different places here on Sunday and elsewhere in Bangladesh left several hundred people injured, including some opposition lawmakers, newsmen and policemen.
The Awami League-led opposition gave a call for Dhaka-seize programme to press for its demand for reforms in the caretaker government system. The High Court on Saturday snapped ‘temporary injunction’ on the programme.
However, thousands of angry protesters clashed with riot police in Dhaka and elsewhere snapping the capital’s road communication with the rest of the country defying the High Court ban.
Police detained over 300 people from different places across the country, including about 200 alone in the city, during the programme.
But opposition claimed that over 500 leaders and workers were injured in the police action and the lawmen detained over 1,000 people.
Opposition chief whip in parliament Abdus Shaheed, MP, League’s central leader Mohammad Nasim, its lawmaker Zahid Ahsan Russel, Mahiuddin Khan Alamgir, former League lawmaker Shafiuulah of Narayanganj district were among the injured.
To protest against the police action, the 14-party opposition announced to stage demonstration for Monday and 36-hour non-stop strike from 6am Tuesday.
Police were seen with loud speakers urging the citizens from Sunday morning to refrain from participating in the siege programme as the High Court on Saturday slapped a temporary injunction on the Dhaka siege programme of the opposition.
The agitated opposition activists snapped rail communication at several places, either by halting trains or uprooting tracks. The opposition workers halted trains at Jamalpur, Nilphamari and uprooted rail tracks at Jurain rail crossing in Dhaka and in Natore.
