Hartal not extended, Hefazat to stage protest on 2 April
Highlights
- Two hartal supporters were killed in clashes today
- Picketers attacked govt offices, police station, bank in Brahmanbaria
- They blocked Dhaka-Chattogram and Dhaka-Sylhet highways
- Several vehicles were vandalised and torched in Dhaka and Rajshahi
- Hefazat will hold a protest rally on 2 April
Though two senior leaders of Hefazat-e-Islam called for extending ongoing hartal in the morning, but its Secretary-General Nurul Islam said they are not extending the hartal, but will hold a protest rally on 2 April.
"17 Hefazat men were killed since Friday in police action. Of them- 12 in Brahmanbaria, four in Chattogram and one in Dhaka," the Hefazat leader claimed in a briefing today afternoon after end of their daylong hartal.
Nurul Islam further said, "Those involved in killing our activists must be brought under trial. And the families of the victims should be compensated,"
He also claimed that over 500 Hefazat activists were injured during the clashes and 200 were detained.
Hefazat's Publicity Secretary Moulana Noman Farazi said, "The nationwide hartal called on Sunday was observed peacefully. The duration of hartal has not been extended as the holy Shab-e-Barat will be observed tomorrow."
Keep reading-
- Hefazat men cause mayhem
- Hefazat threatens to paralyse country
- Four journalists injured in Hefajat attack in Noakhali
- 7 vehicles torched in Dhaka and Rajshahi
- Dhaka's rail links with Sylhet, Chattogram suspended
The Islamist group enforced a nationwide hartal on Sunday protesting over the deaths of its activists in Chattogram and Brahmanbaria, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bangladesh visit.
The leaders and activists of the group turned violent in Brahmanbaria and Dhaka during the hartal.
Hefazat men went berserk in Brahmanbaria from the morning. At least two hartal supporters were killed and dozens injured in clashes with law enforcement agencies in Brahmanbaria today.
They attacked, vandalised, and set fire to several government offices, banks and other private establishments there. They also hurled stones at a Chattogram-bound train, forcing authorities to suspend rail link on the route. Sarail upazila witnessed most violence today.
On Friday, five Hefazat men were killed when they clashed with police in Chattogram during an Anti-Modi protest and five more were killed in Brahmanbaria on Saturday in clashes. One of the injured succumbed to his injuries on Monday in Brahmanbaria. Besides, two more hartal supporters died today.