Police attack BNP human chains
ET Report

Police obstructing opposition chief whip Joynal Abedin Faruk from organising human chain programme in front of the National press club last week. —ET photo

One person died in Naogaon and more than 100 were injured across the country as the law enforcers charged with truncheons at opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party activists at places during the party's human chain on Wednesday.
The law enforcers also picked up more than a hundred leaders and activists, including the party's central leader Syed Moazzem Hossain Alal, also the Jatiyatbadi Juba Dal president, as they tried to form human chains in protest at attack on and arrest of its leaders and activists during its general strike on June 27.
Enamul Haq Omar, general secretary of the Baragacha Juba Dal at Raninagar, died after the police had chased the leaders and activists when they were forming a human about the police, the commissioner said in the directives.
He asked to the police personnel to protect the human rights of the people detained in accordance with Article 33 and 35(5) of the constitution.
The commissioner directed the police personnel not to torture the people arrested physically or mentally.
Shahidul Haque said the police would have to be humane in dealing with the people detained or accused.chain at Tajermore in the Naogaon town in the morning.
Witnesses said Omar had fallen down on the road when the law enforcers chased the BNP activists about 11:30am. He was then taken to a private hospital where he died later.
The BNP's senior joint secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir at a briefing in the party's central office at Naya Paltan said Omar had died in police attack.
The Naogaon police superintendent, Mohammad Mofazzal Hossain, admitted to stopping BNP leaders and activists from forming the human chain but he brushed aside the allegation that the chase by the police had caused the death of the Juba Dal leader. 'It was a natural death. He might have died of heat stroke in the hot weather.'
The day's main programme was held in front of the National Press Club in Dhaka where the police did not allow BNP men, led by the opposition chief whip in the parliament, Zainul Abdin Farroque, on the pavement, leading to a scuffle that continued for some time.
Policemen in riot gears took position in front of the National Press Club and pushed the activists inside the club.
The BNP leaders and activists entered into an altercation with the police and shouted slogans against the government's move to suppress opposing voice and they all sat on the road. The police tried to pick up some people from the spot but failed.
After the programme, the party's secretary general Khandaker Delwar Hossain alleged police action on a peaceful programme such as human chain was carried out at unofficial instruction of the government.
Delwar said police had barred the party's peaceful demonstrations across the country. 'They charged with truncheons at the activists and detained them. This is how the government is torturing the opposition by giving unofficial instructions to the police. Such incidents of torture are keeping the government off the people,' he said, urging the government to refrain from such action.
The police did not allow BNP activists at any spot in Dhaka but the entrance to the Supreme Court building.
The police charged with truncheons at the activists at Gabtali, Shyamali, Asad Gate and Farmgate. The Jatiyatabadi Juba Dal, Syed Moazzem Hossain Alal, was also picked up by the police.
At the Supreme Court building, some 50 to 60 BNP-backed lawyers, led by the Supreme Court Bar Council president, Khandker Mahbub Hossain, former parliament speaker Jamiruddin Sircar, and the party's standing committee member Moudud Ahmed formed the human chain and the police immediately cordoned them off.
Some allies of the BNP also joined the programme at the National Press Club. Jamaat-e-Islami leaders Mujibur Rahman and Tasnim Alam, Islami Oikya Jote secretary Abdul Latif Nezami, Jatiya Ganatantrik Party president Shafiul Alam Pradhan, and Bangladesh Jaitya Party secretary general Shamim Al Mamun, were at the press club.
In Chittagong, the police picked up five BNP activists. The city unit BNP formed human chains at Kalamia Bazar, Bahaddarhat, Muradpur, Dewanhat, Chowmohani, Barik Building, Saltgola, EPZ and WASA crossings.
In Rajshahi, the police intercepted BNP and its front organisations at Saheb Bazar.
After the police had stopped the opposition leaders from forming a human chain, they brought out a procession that ended at Bhuban Mohan Park where they held a rally.
Former Rajshahi mayor Mizanur Rahman Minu, also the city BNP president, and general secretary Shafiqul Huq Milon addressed the gathering.
At least 20 leaders and activists of the Khulna BNP were injured in an attack allegedly by the Juba League and the Chhatra League near the Power House crossing in the Khulna city. The Khulna BNP formed human chains at 17 points in the city.
At least 30 leaders and activists of the BNP and its front organisations were injured in police action on the human chain in Jessore. Thirteen leaders and activists of the BNP and Islami Chhatra Shibir were picked up by the police in the town.
The police also dispersed human chains of the BNP in Barisal.
In Narayanganj, at least 50 BNP activists were injured as the police charged with truncheons at a procession about 11:00am.
The police also foiled the BNP's human chain in Manikganj.
At least 10 activists of the BNP, Chhatra Dal and Juba Dal were injured in police action when they tried to form a human chain in front of the central mosque in Jaipurhat.