At least 10 leaders and activists of Bam Gonotantrik Jote, an alliance of left-leaning parties, were injured as police charged baton on their procession in Narayanganj city during its nationwide half-day hartal today.
The incident happened around 6:30am in the city's Chashara Gol Chottor area.
The hartal was enforced by the left-leaning alliance protesting the price hike of daily essentials.
According to locals and witnesses, the activists brought out a procession from in front of Bangladesher Samajtantrik Dal (BSD) office in support of the hartal.
When it reached Chashara Gol Chottor, police barred them to proceed, leading to an argument between them. At one stage, police charged baton on the activists.
Hafizul Islam, CPB district unit president and former coordinator of Narayanganj district unit of Bam Gonotantrik Jote, claimed that 10 of their leaders and activists sustained injuries during the police action.
Sujay Roy Chowdhury Biku, general secretary of CPB city committee; Sultana Akhter, central finance secretary of Chhatra Front; Mofazzal Hossain, member secretary of ward no. 5 of BSD Fatullah unit, are among the injured. All of the injured received first aid.
Nikhil Das, the alliance's Narayanganj District unit coordinator and convener of the district BSD, claimed that police attacked the female activists during the procession. He demanded punishment of the attackers.
Denying the allegation, Shahzaman, officer-in-charge (OC) of Narayanganj Sadar Model Police Station, said the processionists blasted crude bomb and that's why they were barred.
However, Narayanganj Superintendent of Police Zaidul Alam told The Daily Star that there was no report of any chaos in the district. "We are on alert. Additional police have been deployed. If anyone tries to create any disorder, action will be taken," he said.
Asked about the baton charge on the female activists in the procession, he replied, "We have no such information."
