BNP activists assault a policeman during an attempt to snatch two party supporters from a prison van near the High Court on Tuesday, January 30, 2018 | Dhaka Tribune
According to the witnesses, two BNP activists – Sohag Majumder and Obaidul Haque Milon – had gestured from the van towards the other party supporters gathered in the High Court area, triggering the attack. The attackers vandalized the vehicle and assaulted two policemen who had tried to stop them. A rifle, which belonged to one of the policemen, with a wooden stock was also broken in half during the assault. Senior BNP leaders later stepped in and moved their activists away after stopping them.
A BNP activist assaults a policeman during a clash near the High Court on Tuesday, January 30, 2018 | Dhaka Tribune
Shahbagh police OC Abul Hasan said: “The prison van was not carrying anyone. But we have detained several people over the incident.” Meanwhile, Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Ramna zone Deputy Commissioner Maruf Hossain Sardar told reporters: “We were very patient with them when Khaleda Zia was returning from the court. But BNP supporters took away two men from one of our prison vans after vandalizing it and attacking policemen." “However, I cannot say right now whether they are accused in any cases. Two policemen have been injured,” he said. Three BNP men were detained from the scene after Khaleda Zia’s convoy left. They are Babu, Javed and Humayun. Tuesday’s was the fourth time BNP supporters clashed with police in the past two months in that part of the city when Khaleda’s convoy was crossing it.
