At least 20 people including policemen were injured during clash at a BNP rally in Comilla’s Nangalkot.
The incident was reported around 9am on Wednesday, Nangalkot Police OC Faruque Hossain told Dhaka Tribune.
He, however, could not confirm the number of policemen injured.
BNP’s Nangalkot unit called the rally in protest of the rising fuel and commodity prices and the killings of Chhatra Dal leader Nure Alam and Shwecchashebak League leader Abdur Rahim in Bhola.
Former BNP lawmaker Abdul Gafur Bhuiya also participated in the rally.
According to sources, the district unit BNP had already informed the upazila sadar authorities of the rally.
However, police reportedly stopped the activist when the activists took out the rally at around 9am.
Despite being informed that clearance was taken from authorities, police and BNP activists got into an argument and a clash ensued.
Responding to queries on the matter, BNP Nagalkot Upazila unit Prersident Nazir Ahmed said: “We were carrying out the rally peacefully when the police charged us with batons.”
He added that the police were joined by ruling Awami League men leading to a clash which injured 15 BNP men.
Meanwhile, the upazila’s Awami League Joint Convener Sadek Hossain Bhuiyan said that the BNP was creating chaos which is why the police stopped them. “We did not attack anyone.”
Meanwhile, the district administration in Comilla Sadar has imposed Section 144 due to a BNP and Awami League rally at the same spot in Shuagazi Bazar.
