Traffic through Nayapaltan halted as police put barricades a day after clash with BNP

Traffic movement has been halted in the capital's Nayapaltan area today as law enforcement forces put up barricades following the clash between Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) members and police in front of the party's central office yesterday. 

No one is being allowed to enter the area without ID as police set up barricades at the Nightingale intersection in Bijoynagar and Fakirapool crossings. No vehicles were seen in front of the BNP office on Thursday morning.

However, a huge number of armoured law enforcers and police vehicles remained deployed in the area. Also, CCTV cameras are being set up to monitor the area.

Law enforcement agencies took control of the BNP central office by locking it up.

When BNP leaders and activists tried to enter the area defying the barricade they were dispersed by the police.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir was stopped by the members of law enforcement forces from entering the political party's central office.

Police said no one would be allowed to enter until they finished their work at the crime scene.

"Bombs were thrown at police from there. We consider that place as 'Place of Occurrence'. CID is working on the crime scene. No one can go there until the work is done," police said.

Most offices, shopping malls and shops in the area were closed till 10am this morning.

Locals said that they are panicked as a huge number of policemen are taking position in the area. They were also facing difficulties in going to their respective destinations.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Wednesday claimed that two leaders of their party's student wing Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal were killed and over 100 others were injured in an attack by police when bullets were fired in front of their party's Nayapaltan central office.

Besides, he said, around 600 BNP leaders and activists, including party's senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, Dhaka south city unit convener Abdus Salam and north city unit convener Amanullah Aman, were arrested from the party office.

The DMP commissioner, meanwhile, said BNP men exploded cocktails from their party office and for that the drive was carried out.

"We beefed up security by increasing the number of police. It was an official day, and they (BNP) didn't take prior permission to hold the rally", he said.