A 12-year-old became the latest victim of the ongoing political confrontation when he was hit by a stray bullet during a violent clash between police and activists of the 18-party opposition alliance in Sirajganj yesterday.
In another incident, an activist of Islami Chhatra Shibir, the student wing of Jamaat-e-Islami, was killed in a blast while making bombs in a house in Yeakubnagar area of Sitakunda upazila in Chittagong last night.
Meanwhile, as the BNP-led 18-party opposition alliance extended the nationwide rail, road and waterways blockade for another 72 hours.
In Sirajganj, Sumon Sarker Hridoy sustained bullet injuries as he was crossing the Sirajgani-Rayganj Road at Bahuli Bazar where Jamaat and BNP men were fighting with police.
The BNP and Jamaat activists had cordoned off the area where two police teams had taken positions and hurled crude bombs and bricks at the law enforcers who tried to bar them from blocking the road. Police retaliated by firing shotguns and launching teargas shells.
During the clash around 11am a stray bullet hit Hridoy, leaving him dead on the spot. The BNP has claimed his father is an activist of the party and called a hartal in the district for today.
In Sitakunda, two other Shibir activists whose names could not be ascertained by police were injured in the explosion in which Russell died, reports Chittagong correspondent.
Syed Iqbal Ali, assistant superintendent of police of Sitakunda circle, told the Dhaka Tribune: “The Shibir activists were making bombs in the house and suddenly a bomb exploded around 10pm leaving Russell dead on the spot.”
Police recovered Russell’s body and some bomb-making materials.
The ASP said locals had seen the two injured fleeing the scene immediately after the explosion.
In a video message, BNP’s Joint Secretary General Salahuddin Ahmed said: “As the government did not pay any heed to our demand for the suspension of the election schedule, the ongoing blockade will now continue until Friday 6am.”
Friday is the last day for withdrawing candidacies for the 10th general elections.
Violence occurred in many parts of the country since the BNP-led opposition enforced back-to-back blockades after the Election Commission announced the parliamentary polls’ schedule.
In addition, Jamaat, a key component of the opposition alliance, yesterday protested what it said was a “conspiracy to execute Abdul Quader Molla by defying the jail code.”
The party has announced another countrywide dawn-to-dusk hartal for today.
The blockade and hartal saw clashes, vandalism, attacks on police and arson attacks across the country yesterday.
In Chittagong, Sub-Inspector Anwar Hossain of Bakulia police station sustained injuries during a clash with Jamaat-Shibir activists. Police said
the activists had blasted a number of crude bombs aiming at two police teams.
The blockaders vandalised and torched a goods-laden truck on the Chittagong-Cox’s Bazar highway at Satkania, and vandalised at least six vehicles, including two buses, in Patenga, Akmal road and Barpol areas.
In Bogra town, blockaders vandalised two trucks, and torched anther two, and blasted four crude bombs, targeting the Awami League district unit office on the Temple Road at Shatmatha.
In Rajshahi, two constables sustained splinter injuries when Shibir men clashed with the law enforcers at Shalbagan around 9am.
The Rapid Action Battalion and Border Guard Bangladesh brought the situation under control by firing more than 100 rounds and 10 teargas shells. At least eight Chhatra Dal leaders and activists of Rajshahi University unit were injured as police fired at a procession in the morning.
In Narail, blockaders exploded more than 100 crude bombs at different key points, including in front of the offices of the deputy commissioner and superintendent of police and at the residences of Awami League district unit president and general secretary, the sub-registrar office, Circuit House, Ghorakhali intersection, Aoriya intersection and Sharnaghat areas.
In Comilla, a trucker and his helper suffered burn injuries when Jamaat-Shibir activists set the vehicle on fire in Debidwar upazila.
Jessore police fired four teargas shells and blockaders exploded 15 cocktails. Clashes between Shibir and Chhatra League men left 13 people injured in Nawapara and Monirampur of Jessore.
Three were injured in Narayanganj as police fought with Jubo Dal and Jamaat-Shibir men at Golachipa and Sonargaon upazilas. Police arrested two Jubo Dal men.
In Gazipur, six BNP men sustained injuries from rubber bullets in a clash with police in the bus terminal area of the town. Blockaders torched three vehicles there.
Blockaders also torched a bus at Savar and vandalised several vehicles in Barisal following confrontations with the cops.
The Capital
Police arrested a woman named Shahnur, 30, opposite the Westin Hotel in Gulshan 2 as she was fleeing after hurling crude bombs in the area.
Five crude bombs exploded near the DC office around 2:30pm as blockaders torched a bus in Dhanmondi. A rickshaw-puller was hurt by a cocktail at Azimpur in the evening.