Five people were killed and 30 others injured in a clash between Hefazat-e-Islam activists and law enforcers in Hathazari upazila of Chittagong on Monday.
The deceased were identified as Mamun Miah, teacher of a local school, Mohammad Hanif, 35, Jasim Uddin, 30, Mohammad Noman, 26, and Mohammad Mamun, 24, news agency UNB reported. Witnesses said the Hefazat men blocked Rangamati-Khagrachhari road at Medical Gate in the morning protesting the drive to remove Hefazat men from Motijheel’s Shapla Chattar early Monday. The clash ensued when police asked them to withdraw the blockade around 3pm. A chase and counter-chase took place between the Hefazat men and the law enforcers comprising police and members of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab), Border Guard Bangladesh and Armed Police Battalion during the melee. At one stage, the law enforcers fired several gunshots to disperse them, leaving three killed on the spot and others injured. The injured were rushed to Chittagong Medical College Hospital where Jasim and Noman died around 5:30 pm. Traffic on Rangamati-Khagrachhari road came to a halt following the incident. Nizam Uddin, assistant superintendent of police (Hathazari Circle), said the situation remained under control and a huge number of law enforcers were patrolling in the area to fend off further untoward incident.