Committed to PEOPLE'S RIGHT TO KNOW
Vol. 4 Num 213 Wed. December 31, 2003  
   
Front Page


25 hurt as cops club AL procession


At least 25 leaders and activists of the main opposition Awami League (AL), including former lawmaker Kamal Ahmed Majumder, were injured as police charged batons on a party procession at Mirpur in the capital yesterday.

Riot police intercepted the procession, brought out to mark the 'Victory Month' (December 16 is the Victory Day) near the Mirpur-10 roundabout at about 4:00pm.

Participants in the procession then pelted brickbats at police and shouted anti-government slogans. Police dispersed them charging batons.

The injured were treated at local clinics.

AL General Secretary Abdul Jalil, city AL President Mohammad Hanif, General Secretary Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya and party central leaders AKM Jahangir and Shamsul Haq also joined the procession led by Kamal Majumder.

Ward-level leaders and activists of Mirpur, Pallabi and Kafrul units of the AL, Bangladesh Chhatra League, Awami Jubo League, Awami Shechchhasebak League, Awami Krishak League and Jatiya Sramik League were among the nearly 4,000 participants in the procession.

The duty officer at Mirpur Police Station said last night police went into action as the AL loyalists hurled stones at them and also created traffic congestion in the area.

Police filed a case accusing Kamal Majumder and 49 AL activists of assault on them.