At least 100 people were injured in two separate clashes between BNP men and police in Kishoreganj town today.
Organising secretary of BNP's Kishoreganj district unit Aminul Islam Ashfaq claimed that some 100 party men were injured when police attacked them in the town's Sholakia and Ekrampur areas without any provocation.
Police however said the BNP men were ransacking shops along the way and when police arrived and asked them to stops, BNP men hurled brickbats at them, forcing police to retaliate.
As per the party's central programme, the party men brought out processions on way to the district party office in Rothkhola area around 11:30am, Ashfaq said.
Soon after, police rushed to the spot and started using abusive language and at one stage, they started beating up the party men, alleged Ashfaq.
Police also fired guns and lobbed teargas shells, injuring at least 100 party men, claimed Ashfaq.
The police attack was unprovoked and 100 were injured, most sustaining bullet wounds, said Hazi Israil Mia, another organising secretary of the district BNP, who was leading the procession from Ekrampur area.
The injured party men are being treated at different private clinics and hospitals in and outside the district.
Emdad Hossain, 32, joint secretary of Jubo Dal's Sadar upazila unit, sustained bullet wounds and was shifted to Dhaka in critical condition, said Hazi Israil.
Contacted, Officer-in-charge (Investigation) of Kishoreganj Sadar Police Station Abdullah Al Mamun said BNP men brought out the procession from Shokalia and Ekrampur in defiance of government instructions to not hold any public gatherings amid the spike in coronavirus cases and deaths. The BNP men also ransacked several shops on their way, the OC said.
On information, separate police teams rushed to the spots and asked the party men not to organise any public rally but the unruly BNP men attacked the police teams by hurling brick chunks and police took retaliatory action for the safety of people, said the OC.
Denying firing on the party men, the OC also said police fired blank shots and lobbed teargas shells to bring the situation under control.
The OC also said three policemen, including sub-inspector Joynal Abedin and two constables, were injured during the attack and were given primary treatment.
The situation is now under control and additional police have been deployed in the town to avert further untoward situation, our Mymensingh correspondent reports, quoting the police official.
