Law enforcers charged truncheons and lobbed teargas to foil a BNP procession brought out in the capital yesterday to protest the indictment of party Senior Vice-Chairman Tarique Rahman in the August 21, 2004 grenade attack cases.
BNP leaders alleged that at least 50 leaders and workers were injured in the police attack. Four journalists were also hurt.
Police went into action the moment opposition BNP supporters began their procession to the Jatiya Press Club from the BNP central office in Naya Paltan. The law enforcers fired at least six teargas canisters into the protesters to disperse them.
A large number of policemen with riot-control trucks had been deployed in front of the BNP office where a protest rally was being held.
After foiling BNP supporters' attempt to bring out the procession from the rally, police started chasing them. The protesters took cover in the BNP office and nearby alleys.
Opposition supporters also hurled brickbats at police.
Earlier in the rally, BNP leaders said they will have "revenge through legal means" for harassing the Zia family. They also said the party will announce non-stop hartals if necessary to force the government quit power. They vowed to topple the government by forging a movement.
"Charge sheet was submitted against Tarique Rahman as the government wants to stay in power forever, but people won't allow it," said BNP standing committee member Nazrul Islam Khan addressing the rally.
Party's acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said the next parliamentary elections must be held under a non-party caretaker government, as people do not accept the amended constitution. "The government will be forced to meet our demand..." he said.
During the rally, police closed off one side of the busy road in front of the BNP office causing traffic jam in the surrounding areas. Several thousand BNP leaders, workers and supporters attended the rally which was presided over by BNP city unit convener Mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka.
Source: The Daily Star
