Shamim Ahmed
Munshiganj, Jan 31 (bdnews24.com) Daylong clashes between police and demonstrators protesting the proposed Bangabandhu International Airport in Munshiganj has left a policeman killed and over 40 people injured.
Doctors at Sir Salimullah Medical College Hospital declared sub-inspector Matiur Rahman, 45, dead when he, along with his four fellows, was brought to the hospital around 2:45pm on Monday.
However, there was no official statement on the death from the police.
Inspector general of police Hassan Mahmood Khandker, while visiting the injured police personnel at the hospital, said that tough steps would be taken against the attackers.
Correspondents of Bengali daily Prothom Alo and private TV channel ATN News and several other local correspondents were also injured in the clashes.
Munshiganj police superintendent Shafiqul Islam told bdnews24.com that traffic on Dhaka-Mawa highway resumed around 4pm after hours of disruption due to the demonstrations.
He said additional police and Rapid Action Battalion members had been deployed in the area. "The situation is now under control."
The protestors took to the street at Srinagar Bazaar in the morning in response to a call by Arial Beel Protection Committee and blocked the highway around 7am, halting long-distance traffic.
The demonstrators have been demanding that the airport project site be relocated from the district, claiming that thousands of people would be left unemployed if the project is implemented.
Around 11,250 acres of land is needed for the project estimated to cost Tk 500 billion. Dhaka and Munshiganj districts administrations have been assigned to acquire the land stretching into Munshiganj's Sreenagar Upazila and Dhaka's Nababganj and Dohar Upazilas.
Shajahan Badal, general secretary of the protection committee, told bdnews24.com that the demonstration was called protesting the case filed against 4,026 people over the clash between law enforcers and protesters, who were on their way to join a rally at Muktangan in Dhaka on Jan 26.
DAY'S TURMOIL
Around 500 police personnel were deployed in Munshiganj in the morning, who, according to witnesses, discouraged vehicle movement in the area.
Sreenagar police chief Shakhawat Hossain told bdnews24.com that the agitators turned violent when the law enforcers tried to disperse them from the highway around noon. At one point, they attacked the law enforcers, triggering the clash.
The police personnel, as said by Hossain, were compelled to charge batons and fire rubber bullets on the demonstrators as they had been hurling brickbats. At least 42 people were injured at that time.
He said a group of unruly protesters set fire to Hasara police camp around 1pm. The fire was doused immediately.
By 11am, they took position on different points of the highway in between Chhanbari and Kuchiamor areas.
ATTACK ON PROTESTERS
Locals said around 15,000 people from adjacent Keutkhali, Karikhali, Laskarpur, Alampur and Nidarpur areas, carrying sharp weapons, brought out a procession around 12noon.
They shouted slogans demanding expulsion of local MP Sukumar Ranjan Ghosh.
They locked into clashes with the law enforcers when the law enforcers tried to bar them.
At one stage, more police, led by executive magistrate Shafiul Islam, were deployed in the area and they immediately started firing teargas shells and spraying hot water on the demonstrators.
The demonstrators chased the police when water canons and the stock of teargas shells ran out around 1pm.
The police personnel then started retreating.
But the demonstrators managed to attack some of the police personnel on a car. They vandalised the car and beat up the police personnel with rods and sticks.
They also vandalised a water canon.
ATTACK ON JOURNALISTS
The demonstrators attacked the journalists while chasing the police around 1pm.
The motorcycle of Prothom Alo correspondent Golam Mortuza was torched. The demonstrators beat him up severely with sticks.
He was admitted to Dhaka's Trauma Centre with serious injuries.
Several other photojournalists were also assaulted.
---------- Post added at 11:29 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:28 AM ----------
BTW this is the 7 billion dollar airport. the airport which was supposed to benefit all.
Munshiganj, Jan 31 (bdnews24.com) Daylong clashes between police and demonstrators protesting the proposed Bangabandhu International Airport in Munshiganj has left a policeman killed and over 40 people injured.
Doctors at Sir Salimullah Medical College Hospital declared sub-inspector Matiur Rahman, 45, dead when he, along with his four fellows, was brought to the hospital around 2:45pm on Monday.
However, there was no official statement on the death from the police.
Inspector general of police Hassan Mahmood Khandker, while visiting the injured police personnel at the hospital, said that tough steps would be taken against the attackers.
Correspondents of Bengali daily Prothom Alo and private TV channel ATN News and several other local correspondents were also injured in the clashes.
Munshiganj police superintendent Shafiqul Islam told bdnews24.com that traffic on Dhaka-Mawa highway resumed around 4pm after hours of disruption due to the demonstrations.
He said additional police and Rapid Action Battalion members had been deployed in the area. "The situation is now under control."
The protestors took to the street at Srinagar Bazaar in the morning in response to a call by Arial Beel Protection Committee and blocked the highway around 7am, halting long-distance traffic.
The demonstrators have been demanding that the airport project site be relocated from the district, claiming that thousands of people would be left unemployed if the project is implemented.
Around 11,250 acres of land is needed for the project estimated to cost Tk 500 billion. Dhaka and Munshiganj districts administrations have been assigned to acquire the land stretching into Munshiganj's Sreenagar Upazila and Dhaka's Nababganj and Dohar Upazilas.
Shajahan Badal, general secretary of the protection committee, told bdnews24.com that the demonstration was called protesting the case filed against 4,026 people over the clash between law enforcers and protesters, who were on their way to join a rally at Muktangan in Dhaka on Jan 26.
DAY'S TURMOIL
Around 500 police personnel were deployed in Munshiganj in the morning, who, according to witnesses, discouraged vehicle movement in the area.
Sreenagar police chief Shakhawat Hossain told bdnews24.com that the agitators turned violent when the law enforcers tried to disperse them from the highway around noon. At one point, they attacked the law enforcers, triggering the clash.
The police personnel, as said by Hossain, were compelled to charge batons and fire rubber bullets on the demonstrators as they had been hurling brickbats. At least 42 people were injured at that time.
He said a group of unruly protesters set fire to Hasara police camp around 1pm. The fire was doused immediately.
By 11am, they took position on different points of the highway in between Chhanbari and Kuchiamor areas.
ATTACK ON PROTESTERS
Locals said around 15,000 people from adjacent Keutkhali, Karikhali, Laskarpur, Alampur and Nidarpur areas, carrying sharp weapons, brought out a procession around 12noon.
They shouted slogans demanding expulsion of local MP Sukumar Ranjan Ghosh.
They locked into clashes with the law enforcers when the law enforcers tried to bar them.
At one stage, more police, led by executive magistrate Shafiul Islam, were deployed in the area and they immediately started firing teargas shells and spraying hot water on the demonstrators.
The demonstrators chased the police when water canons and the stock of teargas shells ran out around 1pm.
The police personnel then started retreating.
But the demonstrators managed to attack some of the police personnel on a car. They vandalised the car and beat up the police personnel with rods and sticks.
They also vandalised a water canon.
ATTACK ON JOURNALISTS
The demonstrators attacked the journalists while chasing the police around 1pm.
The motorcycle of Prothom Alo correspondent Golam Mortuza was torched. The demonstrators beat him up severely with sticks.
He was admitted to Dhaka's Trauma Centre with serious injuries.
Several other photojournalists were also assaulted.
---------- Post added at 11:29 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:28 AM ----------
BTW this is the 7 billion dollar airport. the airport which was supposed to benefit all.
