Activists of Chhatra League beating up a member of Chhatra Dal near Bakshibazar intersection yesterday. Photo: Star It was quite a peaceful showdown by several thousand activists of the BNP and its front organisations around the makeshift court in the capital's Bakshibazar, before party chief Khaleda Zia's appearance there in two graft cases. All of a sudden, around 200 Chhatra League men equipped
with iron rods and sticks swooped on them at about 12:10pm, turning the area into a battle ground dominated by one side. At least 45 people were injured in the fight that lasted for over half an hour. Another group of BCL men blocked a BNP procession at Bakshibazar intersection, near Fazle Rabbi Hall of Dhaka Medical College Hospital, and then chased the opposition men, creating panic in the locality. A BCL activist brandishing a gun during an attack by the pro-ruling party student body on members of the BNP. Photo: Star Minutes later, policemen from around the area teamed up with the BCL men and drove away the leaders and activists of the BNP and Chhatra Dal, a pro-BNP student body, from the area. Police fired more than 25 tear shells and 100 rubber bullets. Explosions of several crude bombs were also heard. Before the attack, the law enforcers were seen standing relaxed. When some BNP activists took shelter in the DMCH, pro-government staff along with BCL men beat them up. Advertisement Outside, the JCD men responded by hurling brickbats for three to four minutes. But when police joined with the BCL men, they ran towards Chankharpool and the DMCH. MP Chhabi Biswas at DMCH after an attack on his car. Photo: Star The JCD men vandalised at least three CNG-run auto-rickshaws carrying patients and five motorbikes, and set fire to a microbus with a ruling Awami League MP on board. Chhabi Biswas, elected from Netrokona-1, was hit in the head and left ear with sticks by the rowdy BNP and JCD men. They also struck Yakub Ali Sikder, a freedom fighter and an AL man, leaving him injured. The AL MP had brought Yakub for his treatment at the DMCH. “They attacked my car when they saw a sticker of lawmaker on the windshield. I managed to get down before they set it on fire,” Chhabi said. A mobile court sentenced a private university student for two years for the attack on the lawmaker. The convict, Afzal Hossain, denied his involvement in the incident. Before attacking the JCD men, some BCL activists allegedly snatched mobile phones, wallets and other valuables from some BNP men at Palashi intersection and Buet area. Stick-wielding Chhatra Dal activists, escort Khaleda's motorcade as it heads towards the court. Photo: Star Khaleda's motorcade reached Bakshibazar around 12:25pm. By then normalcy returned to the area, except for a few sporadic incidents of police actions on JCD men, who responded by throwing bricks and setting fire to tyres on the road. Police detained at least 25 people from the area. DMCH sources said at least 25 people injured in the clashes took treatment there. The Daily Star correspondents saw at least four central leaders of the BCL during the attack, but its President Badiuzzaman Sohagh denied having any involvement in the incident. He put the blame squarely on the JCD activists, but admitted some aggrieved BCL men took initiatives to resist JCD men's attack. Meanwhile, BCL General Secretary Siddique Nazmul Alam threatened to beat up top BNP leaders in three days. “We will counter the attack on Chhabi Biswas in three days,” read a post on his Facebook wall at 6:30pm. Nazmul is currently in Thailand for treatment, sources said. Enraged by BCL attack on them, BNP men set fire to a lawmaker's car in front of the DMCH. Photo: Star “Doctors had asked me to stay back for a few days. But I cannot do that because of the barks. We will beat up the BNP leaders like stray dogs,” the post added. The BNP in a press conference held the BCL responsible for attacking its men. The party will stage a countrywide demonstration tomorrow in protest. In the past, BNP men always took position around the court whenever Khaleda was to appear in the court. But their yesterday's showdown was the largest. Insiders said the party high-ups wanted to examine the strength of the newly formed JCD, considered as the vanguard of BNP, before waging a fresh anti-government movement in January. Several thousand pro-BNP activists gather at Bakshibazar intersection to show-off their support for party chief Khaleda Zia, who was due there to appear before a makeshift court in two graft cases yesterday. Photo: Star COURT PROCEEDINGS Khaleda entered the court area around 12:35pm and appeared before the newly appointed Judge of Special Judge Court-3 Abu Ahmed Jamadar. The court adjourned the trial proceeding of the two cases against Khaleda and 8 others till January 7. The judge passed the order following two petitions by Khaleda's lawyers and their arguments in her presence. On December 18, Jamadar replaced Bshudev Roy, who had framed charges against Khaleda, her son Tarique Rahman and seven others in the two cases. Yesterday, the defence lawyers said they were not prepared for the proceeding, as some lawyers who regularly placed arguments were outside the country. The ACC lawyer protested this and said the court could record the statement from the investigating officer and also a prosecution witness.
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