Attack on BNP rally in Ctg, 30 injured

At least 30 people were injured as unidentified assailants attacked BNP leaders and activists on their way to a much awaited rally in Chattogram, scheduled to be held for the first time in a decade on Wednesday (12 October).

Leaders and activists, who are coming to join the rally from all over the country, have been faced with many hurdles along the way since Tuesday, said Idris Ali, former office secretary of the city unit BNP.

"We have received complaints that police and the ruling Awami League activists are blocking various points to stop them from joining the event," he said.

Mentioning the situation in Khagrachari, Idris Ali said BNP leaders and activists, who were travelling via different means of transport to reach the port city, were stopped at various points in Matiranga, Manikchari and Mirsarai since morning.

Akbar Hossain, president of Feni's Daganbhuiyan upazila unit of BNP, said that around 10-12 vehicles that were part of the motorcade, ended up getting vandalised in a series of attacks that commenced as it made its way through Feni, reports UNB.

"A total of 15 cars from our motorcade came under attack in Baryarhat, Mithachara, Mirsarai, Sitakunda, Nizampur and Kamaldah points of the Dhaka-Chattogram highway. The attacks left 30 of our party activists critically injured. However, thousands of our activists attended the rally overcoming many obstacles on their way," said Alal Uddin Alal, member secretary of BNP's Feni district unit. 

Chattogram District (north) BNP Joint Convener Nurul Amin claimed that at least 40 BNP leaders and activists were injured in an attack by Chhatra League and Jubo League activists on their way to attend the grand rally.

"The attack took place at Mirsarai's Zorargonj and Baraiya bazaar area around 9am," he told The Business Standard.

After 9 January 2012, this was the first meeting held in the city's Pologround to protest against load sheddings, fuel price hikes, extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances and for the immediate release of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia.

The previous political event in Chattogram in 2012 was attended by Khaleda Zia.

Meanwhile, BNP leaders and activists were seen coming towards the rally venue in small processions from the morning. Apart from the Pologround, the city's Lalkhan Bazar, CRB and Tigerpass areas have been flooded with people causing a gridlock.

It is the first of a series of divisional rallies announced by the party as its latest program of action, that will be held in each division of the country on almost a weekly basis before culminating in capital Dhaka on 10 December.