A police constable was killed and over a dozen of law enforcers were injured when opposition BNP supporters clashed with police in parts of city during the grand rally today (Saturday).
The identity of the policeman could not be known immediately. His blood-stained body was lying on the street near Dainik Bangla crossing.
Police took him to the emergency department of Dhaka Medical College Hospital where 11 more police personnel were admitted there with wounds in different parts of their bodies, said our medical correspondent.
Earlier, Paramilitary Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) was called out amid escalating tensions as main opposition BNP started clashing with police in parts of city while ruling Awami League and the opposition called simultaneous rallies for strength display in Dhaka.
Witnesses said BNP activists set on fire a number of police boxes at Kakrail, Shantinagar, Malibug areas. Unruly BNP workers set fire on the front side of central police hospital at Rajarbagh area, pelted stones at the Chief Justice’s residence in Kakrail and damaged several vehicles.
Law enforcement personnel responded with tear gas canisters and batons while BGB personnel were at the scenes to join hands with police.
“BNP leaders and activists attacked the government installations and property, and legal actions will be taken exhausting investigation process,” Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s detective branch chief Harunur Rashid told journalists.
He said a number of policemen were wounded in the attack and were admitted to the central police hospital “which too came under attack”.
BNP, meanwhile, called a nationwide dawn-to-dusk general strike tomorrow to protest against what it said “police actions to upset” their planned rally.
The BNP activists rallied in front of party central office in Naya Paltan in the city to press home their demand for elections under a non-party interim government.
The ruling Awami League staged a “peace rally” at the South Gate of Baitul Mokarram Nation Mosque when the BNP activists rallied around its Naya Paltan central office.
Police in riot gears including water cannons raised a long line of buffer zone at Purana Paltan area to prevent clashes among rival activists.
Police allowed both the parties to stage their planned rallies at spots of their choice at the last moment last night imposing a number of conditions including barring activists to carry anything like bamboo sticks.
The leaders and activists started rallying crippling traffic movements in most parts of the city while many shop owners and shopping complexes shuttered their businesses fearing violence.
BNP’s extreme rightwing ally Jamaat-e-Islami earlier announced a separate rally defying a police ban but their supporters tried to rally at the designated spot called Shapla Chattar but police dispersed them using batons.