A case has been filed against more than 60 BNP-Jamaat activists centring the clash that took place between police and the party activists yesterday when BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia went to appear before a court in the capital's Bakshibazaar area Wednesday.
Sub-Inspector Sadeque Miah filed the case with Chawkbazar Police Station accusing around 65 BNP-Jamaat activists of assaulting and barring police from carrying out their duties.
Of the accused, names of 60 activists have been mentioned in the case detailed.
Mohammad Azizul Haque, officer-in-charge of Chawkbazar Police Station, told the Dhaka Tribune: “They have been sued for attacking police outside the court. Some of the accused are named in the case.”
According to the in the case statement, the clash erupted around 1:10pm just after Khaleda entered the court. Initially, police tried to disperse the crowd by charging truncheons but the situation turned worse when the BNP men started throwing brickbats at the law enforcers.
Earlier on Wednesday, activists of BNP and its associate bodies locked horns with police after party cheif Khaleda Zia appeared before the Special Judge Court 3 for a hearing in the Zia Orphanage Trust and Zia Charitable Trust graft cases.
The court was set up on the Aliya Madrasa ground. Khaleda reached the venue at 1:05pm and left 40 minutes later.
Since morning, many BNP activists were seen gathering on the streets leading to the court. Senior pro-BNP lawyers as well as senior party leaders thronged the court premises when Khaleda arrived there. BNP activists wanted to enter the court after Khaleda but police prevented them, prompting a clash.
The 45-minute clash, which left several people injured including four policemen, spread to Bakshibazar and Badrunnessa College areas. Chased by police, BNP activists entered the Buet campus where they were again driven out by Chhatra League activists.
Later, BNP activists vandalised some vehicles and roadside makeshift stalls in the area.
Speaking to the Dhaka Tribune, Dhaka Metropolitan Police Additional Deputy Commissioner Saidur Rahman said: “Around 60 activists were sued, including Nahidul Islam Nahid, Said Hassan Mintu, Farhatullah, Anwar Parvez Badal, Abdus Samad, Abu Mutalib, Moshiul Alam Sentu and others.”
Dhaka Metropolitan Police Additional Deputy Commissioner Mehedi Hasan earlier said police did not allow all the BNP activists inside the court premises for the sake of security.