Staff Reporter:
A police vehicle was set on fire and several shops were vandalized during clashes between police and activists of banned Chhatra League, student front of Awami League, atTungipara in Gopalganj yesterday amid protests and road blockades in different parts of the district centering a student strike.
Officer-in-Charge of Tungipara Police Station Ayub Ali said clashes broke out when police tried to prevent activists of banned Chhatra League from enforcing their strike.
“Several police personnel were injured in attacks by the activists. They vandalised a police vehicle and set it on fire,” he said.
He said the situation is now under control, traffic has returned to normal and additional police have been deployed at the scene.
Roads were blocked by setting tyres on fire at several locations in Tungipara, Kashiani and Gopalganj town, said police and witnesses.
Locals said some activists of banned Chhatra League, led by Tungipara upazila unit president Shamsul Haque, gathered at Gohardanga Chowrangi intersection around 9:30am, carrying sticks.
They set tyres on fire on the road and staged demonstrations. Leaders and activists of Awami League, Jubo League and their affiliated organisations also joined the protest.
They later brought out a procession from Chowrangi, passing through Patgati Bus Stand, and marched towards Patgati Bazar, where they vandalised a BNP office.
When they returned to Patgati Bus Stand, police tried to stop them, triggering a chase and counter-chase between the two sides.
At one stage, the BCL activists set fire to a police vehicle on the road adjacent to Gimadanga Tungipara High School.
Several shops were also reportedly vandalized during the clash.
The clashes disrupted traffic on the Gopalganj-Pirojpur road for nearly two hours.
At least 10 people, including police personnel, were injured, according to local sources. The injured received treatment at Tungipara Upazila Health Complex and from local physicians.
Meanwhile, activists of the Awami League, Jubo League and the banned Chhatra League blocked roads by setting tyres on fire at the western side of Launchghat Bridge, Sonakur and LGED intersection in Gopalganj town around 1pm.
The situation returned to normal after the protesters withdrew their blockade.
In Kashiani, Awami League and banned Chhatra League activists blocked roads and staged demonstrations by setting tyres on fire near the toll plaza of Kalna Madhumati Bridge around 7am.
At the same time, Chhatra League activists staged another protest by setting fire to tyres on the Dhaka-Khulna highway between Pona and Majra.
Several vehicles were reportedly vandalised.
Police reached the spot after the protesters had left, and traffic on the highway later returned to normal.
Earlier, on Monday night, Awami League and banned Chhatra League activists blocked the Dhaka-Khulna highway and brought out a procession in Gopalpur area of Kashiani’s Orakandi Union.
Demonstrations involving the setting of fires were also reported at Maheshpur Railway Station.
Videos of the incidents were circulated on social media.
Gopalganj Superintendent of Police Md Habibullah said police arrested eight people in connection with Monday night’s incidents of violence.
Police also seized seven motorcycles and recovered 15 unexploded crude bombs, he said, adding that the law and order situation in the district remained normal on Tuesday apart from a few isolated incidents.
