By Staff Correspondent, Dhaka – A group of unruly youths attacked and set fire to the central office of the opposition Jatiyo Party at Bijoynagar in the capital Dhaka on Saturday, police and the party said.
The hooligans allegedly carried out the attack at around 6.30 pm despite a heavy contingents of security personnel were deployed in the area, in the aftermath of fierce clashes on Friday, when police and army troops dispersed the mob by resorting to baton charge. The police actions left more than 30 people injured, including the president of Gano Odhikar Parishad, Nurul Haque Nur.
According to eyewitnesses, around 3:45 pm, activists under the banner of Ganatantra Mancha set tires on fire on the road, blocking it, and then brought out a march from there in protest of Friday’s clashes.
The procession moved towards Kakrail after turning at the Paltan intersection. When it later arrived in front of the Jatiyo Party office, they began throwing bricks and stones targeting the police. This led to a clash spreading.
At one point, a group of people vandalized the Jatiyo Party office and set it on fire. Police conducted a baton charge to bring the situation under control.
Earlier on Saturday afternoon, Shamim Haider Patwari, the secretary-general of one faction of party, said at a press conference at the office, “Several people came to set fire to this office on Friday in the name of a torch procession. At that time, army and police personnel resisted them. The army needs to play a more active role in the interest of the country.”
A clash broke out on Friday evening from a march by the Ganatantra Mancha demanding a ban on Jatiyo Party.
In this, the organization’s general secretary, Rashed Khan, was injured. Later, during the torch procession, over a hundred leaders and activists attempted to attack and set fire to the office. This led to a clash between police and protesters, in which one police member was injured. The army then intervened to control the situation.
Meanwhile, the Ganatantra Mancha called an emergency press conference around 9:30 pm. On the way to the conference venue, incidents of chase and counter-chase with law enforcement occurred. At one point, allegations emerged of joint forces attacking Ganatantra Mancha leaders and activists, including Nurul Haque Nur.
