Cars, buses vandalised as police and BNP clash near Dhaka Science Lab
A clash ensued between BNP men and the Dhaka Metropolitan Police after the party brought out an anti-government procession in the capital's Science Lab area.
The incident took place around 4pm on Tuesday when police tried to block the BNP procession on Mirpur Road.
Police took position near the Science Lab intersection and put up a barricade on the road. When the BNP activists tried to break through the barricade, they engaged in a scuffle with the police. BNP activists pelted bricks at the police and later set fire to a BRTC bus.
At least 30 vehicles, including BRTC buses, were vandalised during the clash.
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Condemning the "police attack", BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said more than 100 leaders and activists were injured and 25 others were arrested during the clash.
Sharif Mohammad Faruquzzaman, assistant commissioner of New Market zone of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, said the law enforcers had to retaliate as the BNP protesters were being violent.
He said police arrested 15 people from the scene, lobbed tear gas canisters and charged batons to bring the situation under control.
Ashraf Hussain, deputy commissioner of Ramna division, said the BNP leaders carried out attacks on police without any provocation, leaving a number of police personnel injured.
Meanwhile, BNP's media cell claimed that BNP central committee member Sheikh Rabiul Alam was detained from the spot.
Ashraf Hussain told the TBS that police made several arrests on the spot.
On Tuesday, the BNP Dhaka Metropolitan South unit brought out the procession as part of a pre-scheduled programme to protest the arrests and cases against its activists, the rise in commodity prices, and the issue of load shedding.
As the day progressed, BNP activists began to gather in the capital's Dhanmondi and its surrounding areas.
Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, BNP standing committee member, attended the programme as the chief guest.
Additional law enforcement personnel were deployed in the area to watch over the march programme.
