Jamaat, Shibir men clash with police in city : 4 cops hurt
Jamaat-e-Islami activists set a police van on fire during sporadic clashes with the law-enforcers at Dainik Bangla crossing in the city Thursday. (Inset) One of the policemen, injured in the incident. — Focus BanglaFE Report
Activists of Jamaat-e-Islami and its student front Islami Chhatra Shibir (ICS) clashed with police at Paltan in the city Thursday protesting the detention of former Ameer of the party Ghulam Azam.
Police said the unruly protesters also set fire to a police van at about 5:00pm, causing panic among the people passing through the area.
Duty officer of Motijheel Police Station Sazzad Hossain told the FE that the trouble occurred in the late afternoon when several hundred Jamaat activists suddenly launched an attack on the police in front of Hasan International Hotel.
At least four police personnel were critically wounded in the violence that lasted for nearly 20 minutes. The injured policemen were rushed to Razarbagh Police Lines Hospital for treatment, he said.
"Three protesters were also picked up from the place of occurrence," the duty officer said, adding that they also damaged a number of passing vehicles.
Witnesses said the protesters brought out a procession in Paltan area at around 5:00pm. As police intercepted it, they threw brickbats at the law enforcers and torched the police van despite tight security.
Police also lobbed tear gas shells and charged baton to disperse the protesters.
Security has further been tightened in the city following trouble.
Ghulam Azam was sent to jail Wednesday on charges of committing crimes against humanity and peace, genocide and war crimes during Bangladesh's Liberation War in 1971.
The International Crimes Tribunal, rejecting his bail petition, ordered sending Azam, who stands accused on 62 specific charges, to Dhaka Central Jail Wednesday.