Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN)- A policeman sustained minor injury when activists of radical Islamist organization Hefajat-e Islam attacked pro-liberation activists at Mohakhali in the capital Dhaka Saturday morning.
The Hefajat activists also vandalized the makeshift podium of the Gonojagoron Mancha at Amtoli, the Daily Star, a local newspaper, reported.
The clash erupted around 9:00am when Shariar Kabir, the acting president of Ekattorer Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee, prominent writer Muntasir Mamun and some leaders and activists of 23 pro-liberation organisations were holding a rally in support of the ongoing 24-hour shutdown.
When several hundred activists of Hefajat-e Islam were seen marching towards Mohakhali intersection from Tongi to join their Shapla Chattar rally, the pro-liberation activists took to the street to resist the Hefajat activists.
Apprehending a clash, Gulshan police tried to move the pro-liberation leaders and activists from the Mohakhali intersection, but in vain.
As the Hefajat men faced resistance, they hurled brick chips, water bottles and shoes on the pro-liberation leaders and activists.
The activists of the radical Islamist also vandalized the Gonojagoron Mancha there.
Gulshan police tried to quell the situation and Imdadul Islam, a sub-inspector of Gulshan Police Station, sustained injuries during the clash that continued for nearly 20-minute.
After the incident, Shariar Kabir claimed that the Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing, Islami Chhatra Shibir, men who infiltrated into Hefajat, have vandalised the Gonojagoron Mancha.
The pro-liberation organisations called the 24-hour hartal from 6:00pm Friday to resist the Hefajat-e Islam from holding their long march and subsequently a rally in Motijheel of the capital on April 6.
Hefajat called the long march and rally demanding punishment to the Shahbagh bloggers for their “defamatory” write-ups against Islam and Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).
The Shahbagh youths have been demonstrating for the death sentence of the war criminals who committed crimes against humanity during the country’s Liberation War in 1971.
BBN/SSR/AD-06Apr13-12:38 pm (BST)
