BNP leader, teenager among 3 killed in hartal violence

Star Online Report

Three people including an upazila unit president of BNP and a teenager were killed as pro-hartal activists carried out vandalism and clashed with law enforcers and ruling party men on the streets in Jhenidah, Chandpur and Chittagong on the second day of hartal today.
Md Abul Hossain, 60, BNP president of Harinakunda upazila unit in Jhenidah was bombed and knifed to death.
In Chandpur town, a 14-year-old boy, Md Arju, was killed when pickets clashed with law enforcers and Awami League activists. Local administration imposed section 144 at Puranbazar area of the town.

Pro-hartal activists burn a tyre on a road at Mothkhola in Chandpur town on Monday, the second day of 60-hour hartal enforced by BNP-led 18-party combine. Photo: STAR

Mohammad Wasim, 32, a truck driver, died as his vehicle overturned after pickets threw brick chips at him in Satkania upazila of Chittagong.
JHENIDAH
Abul Hossain, acting chairman of Doulatpur union in Harinakunda upazila, came under the attack in Daulatpur bazar area when he was returning from union Parishad office at noon, said Mahibul Hasan, officer-in-charge of Harinakunda Police Station.
The OC said unidentified miscreants numbering seven to eight, who took position at a tea stall, threw bombs at him.
When he fell down on the ground from motorcycle, the miscreants chopped him severely, the OC said.
They also shot Abul Hossain to confirm his death and left the place, he added.
Former BNP lawmaker and Jhenidah BNP president Moshiur Rahman claimed that Awami League activists committed the crime.
He demanded exemplary punishment of the culprits.
Denying the allegation, Advocate Azizur Rahman, AL secretary of Jhenidah district unit, claimed Abul Hossain has been killed due to intra-party feud.
Additional police forces have been deployed at Dakhalpur and other parts of Harinkundu to avoid any untoward incident.
CHANDPUR
Md Arju, son of Mokbul Hossain, was killed and another injured during sporadic clashes between police and hartal supporters in Chandpur town, said Md Amir Jafar, superintendent of police in Chandpur.
The SP said the clashes ensued around 8:30am when pickets threw several crude bombs targeting lawmen at Puranbazar, prompting the latter to open fire.
At one stage, ruling AL men also joined with the law enforcers.
Policemen fired 49 rubber bullets and lobbed seven teargas canisters to disperse the pro-hartal activists, leaving Arju and one Hakim Ali injured critically, witnesses said.
Arju rushed the Chandpur Sadar Hospital where the doctors declared him dead, said Sirajul Islam, a doctor of the hospital.
Hakim was shifted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital from the Sadar Hospital as his condition deteriorated.
The pro-hartal activists exploded at least 30 cocktails during the clashes, witnesses said.
Local administration imposed section 144 at Puranbazar area of the town to avoid any untoward incident, said Md Ismail Hossain, deputy commission of Chandpur.
Sheikh Farid Ahmed Manik, BNP secretary general of Chandpur district unit, claimed that Arju was a local activist of Jatiyabadi Chhatra Dal.
Victim’s father however said Arju worked at cotton factory at Puranbazar and he had no link with politics.
CHITTAGONG
The truck of Wasim came under attack when he was passing through Chhadaha in Satkania at about 2:00am, said Najmul Hasan, assistant superintendent of police in Chittagong (South).
After being attacked, panicked Wasim lost control over the steering and his vehicle overturned on the road, he added.
Wasim hailed from Cox’s Bazar died on the spot, the police official said.