Supporters of the main opposition BNP were involved in ugly clashes with police in Dhaka on Wednesday, shattering the fragile peace which had been prevailing in the country ahead of the upcoming parliamentary elections.
Eyewitnesses said the BNP activists vandalized a number of vehicles and set fire to a police pickup truck and patrol car in front of the party’s Naya Paltan office.
“We suspect the attack was premeditated,” Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Deputy Commissioner (Motijheel division) Anwar Hossain said.
“They hurled brickbats at us, torched two of our vehicles, and also tried to set fire to one of our APCs. We responded in self-defence.”
According to police sources, at least 42 people were injured in the clashes, including 21 police officers and two Ansar members.
BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi criticized police for “attacking” the party’s activists, whom he claimed had been gathering peacefully.
“The attack was carried out on government orders, and we strongly condemn it,” he said.
A large number of BNP activists had gathered in Naya Paltan on Wednesday as the party resumed the sale of nomination forms for the December 30 poll for a third consecutive day.
Attackers set a police car on fire during the clash between BNP activists and police in Nayapaltan, Dhaka on Wednesday, November 14, 2018 | Mehedi Hasan/Dhaka TribuneTension had been mounting between the BNP supporters and police throughout the morning, with law enforcement officials seen moving activists onto the pavement in front of the party office in an effort to keep the road clear.
The situation came to a head at around 12:30pm, when BNP Standing Committee member Mirza Abbas arrived at the party office from Fakirapul with a procession of several hundred supporters.
According to the electoral code of conduct, no registered party or their followers or any individual candidate can organize street rallies that obstruct roads throughout the period before the election result is announced.
On Tuesday, the Election Commission (EC) asked the inspector general of police (IGP) to take steps against aspiring nomination seekers for the 11th general election who have been “showboating” while collecting their papers by encouraging rallies or motorcades.
Several BNP activists seen vandalizing and torching police vehicle near BNP office at Naya Paltan, Dhaka on November 14, 2018 | Mehedi Hasan/Dhaka Tribune
The Awami League and police blamed BNP for the violence, saying the party’s followers attacked police first. BNP leaders, however, claimed the police attacked their activists on the order of the government, which was “trying to spoil the voting environment”.
“The police are spoiling the electoral atmosphere by attacking BNP activists,” BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said.
Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader accused senior BNP leader Mirza Abbas of giving instructions to his followers to carry out the attack at Naya Paltan.
“BNP carried out the attack with the aim of foiling the upcoming 11th general election,” he said during a press conference at Awami League’s political office at Dhanmondi 3/A on Wednesday.
“They are a terrorist party. Upon instructions from Mirza Abbas, they launched the attack as part of an attempt to foil the election.”
Quader, also the road transport and bridges minister, added that BNP will face “appropriate repercussions from the public” for their actions.
