Violence erupted in the capital’s Kakrail area on Saturday centring a Jatiya Party (JaPa) rally, leading to chases and counter chases. Police have fired tear gas shells in an attempt to bring the situation under control.
The clashes started around 3:30pm.
Earlier in the day, party leaders and activists gathered at the venue, where a temporary stage was set up on a truck.
Senior leaders, including GM Quader and Shameem Haider Patwary, attended the rally, while processions from different parts of the city joined in. A large number of police personnel were deployed around the area.
Jatiya Party Secretary General Barrister Shameem Haider Patwary told TIMES of Bangladesh, “We had informed the police by letter about today’s programme. Why should we need prior permission from the police to hold a gathering in front of our own party office when everyone else is already doing it?”
He claimed that 20 leaders and activists were injured due to police tear gas, rubber bullets, and baton charges, and several were arrested.
Ramna Zone’s DC Masud Alam said, “Police intervened because they attempted to hold a gathering by blocking the road without obtaining prior permission.”
Jatiya Party’s Central Joint Organizing Secretary Bahadur Islam Imtiaz claimed that several leaders and activists of the Dhaka District Jatiya Party were injured in front of the Segunbagicha ACC headquarters due to police obstruction.
