police charged batons on procession
At least 20 leaders and activists of Left Democratic Alliance (LDA), a platform of left-leaning political parties, were injured as police allegedly charged batons on their procession in Narayanganj city.
The LDA called the general strike protesting the hurried announcement of the election schedule for the 12th general election.
According to the witnesses, the LDA activists brought out a procession on Bangabandhu Road in the city's no-2 Railgate intersection area around 6:45am.
When the procession reached the railgate intersection area, police barred them and snatched the banner from the leaders and activists, triggering a scuffle.
At one stage, police started to charge batons on the leaders and activists.
Shibnath Chakraborty, general secretary of the CPB district unit, said they were holding a peaceful procession in support of the hartal, but police barred them and started to charge batons.
At least 20 leaders and activists, including him, were injured in the police action, he claimed.
Among the injured, CPB district unit president Hafizul Islam, Shibnath Chakraborty, Bangladesh Samajtantrik Dal (BSD) district unit Secretary Abu Nayeem Khan, Garment Sramik Front district unit Assistant Secretary Ruhul Amin Shohag, Chatro Front district unit General Secretary Saiful Islam, former secretary Faysal Ahmed Ratul and seven others took primary treatment at Narayanganj General Hospital.
CPB leader Hafizul alleged that police attacked them without any provocation. He demanded punishment of the attackers.
However, Sahadat Hossain, officer-in-charge (OC) of Narayanganj Sadar Model Police Station, said LDA leaders and activists tried to block the road when police dispersed them.
He denied the allegation of charging batons on the procession.
Meanwhile, leaders and activists of the Jubo Dal city unit bought out a procession at Chandmari-Haziganj road in Sadar upazila in support of the ongoing blockade. They also tried to block the road setting fire on objects.
