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| Bangladesh |
| 20 injured as AL men clash with cops |
| 2009-05-03 |
| [Bangla Daily Star] At least 20 people, including five policemen, were injured yesterday in a clash between Awami League activists and police at Baktabali Bazar in Fatulla upazila over a land dispute. Locals said AL activists snatched two firearms from the injured police members which later police recovered. Police arrested Fatulla Thana unit AL General Secretary Shawkat Ali, Jubo League leader Shafiqul Islam and traders Amanullah and Rafiqul Islam for their involvement in the clash. Witnesses said local AL and BNP workers sat at an arbitration meeting in the morning to settle a dispute over the ownership of a shop and a piece of land in the bazar, as leaders of the two rival parties had long been at loggerheads over taking control of the land and the shop. At one stage, activists of the two parties locked in an altercation and attacked each other. As a team of police from Baktabali outpost rushed in and tried to calm both the feuding groups, AL activists allegedly attacked the policemen, leaving at least 20 people injured. Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) at Fatulla Model Police Station Mir Abu Tauhid said police fired 11 blank shots to bring the situation under control. Contingents of police have been deployed in the area as a tense situation prevailed there, he said. Contacted, Superintendent of Police Biswas Afzal Hossain said those involved in assaulting police and damaging shops would be brought to justice. AL activists also confined SI Shamsul Haq and constable Motaleb in their local office and beat them up, leaving them injured. On information, Fatulla thana police rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control. Police charged baton and fired 11 blank shots to disperse the troublemakers. Locals said Fatualla thana AL President Saifullah Badal and General Secretary Shawkat Ali are involved in extortion and other criminal activities. They are allegedly sheltered by a former AL lawmaker. |
| Posted by:Fred |