The Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) chief Mujahidul Islam Selim has been injured in an attack by a group of suspected pro-government Bangladesh Chhatra League activists at a rally in Sylhet. 19 0 0 Print Friendly and PDF Related Stories BNP backs CPB-BSD shutdown 2013-09-15 20:44:41.0 Shutdown in Sylhet 2013-09-15 18:15:31.0 Selim has blamed Awami League student front for the attacks. Two leftist parties have called a half-day shutdown in the city for Monday protesting against Sunday’s attack at the city’s Court Point. CPB and Bangladesher Samajtantrik Dal (BSD), both outside the two major political alliances, are organising rallies across Bangladesh in the lead-up to the general election due by Jan 24. Opposition BNP has backed the shutdown call. A group of unidentified stick-wielding youths attacked the Sylhet rally which was organised as part of the ongoing campaign. Witnesses said the attack took place in presence of police. CPB’s Sylhet unit President Bedananda Bhattacharya said: “A group of around 20 armed Chhatra League cadres attacked the rally around 5pm. At least six of our activists including the CPB President were injured.” Chhatra League is the student affiliate of the ruling Awami League. The rampaging youths vandalised the rally stage, microphones, chairs, tore apart the banners and left after police and the rally participants chased them. BSD and CPB general secretaries Khalequzzaman and Syed Abu Zafar Ahmed, respectively, were present on the stage during the attacks. The rally resumed after around 20 minutes amid tight security. CPB President Selim said several youths chanting ‘Joy Bangla’ slogan – used frequently by the Awami League – attacked the peaceful rally. “The heinous attack took place at the behest of the government,” he claimed. BSD’s Khalequzzaman said the attack had proven that the ruling quarters cannot organise national polls in a peaceful manner. Sylhet unit leaders of Chhatra League were not immediately available for comments. However, the student front’s President Badiuzzaman Sohag told bdnews24 organisational measures would be taken if any Chhatra League activist were involved with the incident. Sylhet Metropolitan Police’s Additional Commissioner SM Rokonuddin said the law enforcers had fired into their at least 50 time to thwart the assailants. Kotwali Model Police Station OC Akter Hossain was injured in the melee, he said. The CPB and BSD had called for the shutdown immediately after the attacks. Bedananda Bhattacharya said the general strike would be enforced from 6am to 12pm on Monday. The CPB had taken out a procession in Dhaka protesting the attack. The party is a former ally of the ruling Awami League. A host of organisations and political parties have condemned the attack.
Posted on: Sun, 15 Sep 2013 16:10:54 +0000
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