Police allegedly attacked by Awami League men at Shaheed Minar in Moulvibazar

Leaders and activists of Moulvibazar District Awami League, Jubo League and Chhatra League have reportedly attacked the police at the central Shaheed Minar of Moulvibazar on the International Mother Language Day.

This incident happened at the Shaheed Minar on Tuesday midnight centring a police barricade.

As per protocol, the Moulvibazar Deputy Commissioner Dr Urmi Binte Salam and Superintendent of Police Manzoor Rahman proceeded to pay wreaths first at the Shaheed Minar.

As there was a huge crowd at the Shaheed Minar area, police put a barricade to control the crowd.

Several hundred leaders and activists of Awami League, Jubo League and Chhatra League also gathered in the area.

At one stage, Moulvibazar district Awami League President and former MP Nesar Ahmed, urged the police officers on duty to lift the barricade.

However, when the officers did not lift the barricade, he attempted to break through the police security barricade and proceed. When the police tried to stop them, activists of the Chhatra League and Jubo League carried out an attack on the duty policemen, according to witnesses.

During the wreath-laying of Awami League, Jubo League leader Shimul Ahmed Chowdhury, Chhatra League former president Saifur Rahman Roni and some activists attacked the police, forcing police to move away from there.

Later, Member of Parliament of Moulvibazar-3 Zillur Rahman, the district Awami League president and general secretary, hundreds of leaders and activists paid tribute at the Shaheed Minar.

Moulvibazar Municipality Mayor Md Fazlur Rahman said that for the first time in Moulvibazar’s central Shaheed Minar, police had created obstacles by putting a barricade so that the pro-independence force, the ruling Awami League, could not enter Shaheed Minar.

President of the Moulvibazar District Awami League and former Member of Parliament Nesar Ahmed claimed that the police were barricading the activists.

He complained that the DB police stood hand in hand at the barricade. Those who had come to pay tribute at Shaheed Minar became angered. There was a minor dispute, but no attacks occurred.

Nazrul Islam, officer-in-Charge of Moulvibazar Model police station, said: “Since it is a matter of the district, it is better to talk to the SP sir.”

Moulvibazar Superintendent of Police Manjur Rahman said that a security barricade was set up for everyone who came to Shaheed Minar to pay tribute.That type of security barrier is always very common at such occasions.

Regarding the attack on the police, he said: “We are investigating what caused the sudden situation.”