BNP, allies slam gas, power price hike
The BNP-led 20-Party Alliance yesterday staged demonstrations and brought out processions across the country in protest against the hike in prices of power and gas. However, police allegedly wielded batons on party leaders and activists, leaving a number of people injured. In Dhaka, the BNP and its frontal organisations brought out processions in different points of the city to avoid police obstructions. Police arrested BNP leader Hero from the Motijheel area.
Party sources alleged that police attacked agitators in several districts, including Rajshahi, Barisal, Manikganj, Khagrachori, Jenaidah, Faridpur, Pirojpur, Kurigram, Munshiganj, Mymensingh, Shariatpur and Naogaon. The BNPs standing committee member, Goyeshwar Chandra Roy, told reporters that they could not stage a big demonstration in the city due to police aggression. He said the police took up positions at different strategic points where the 20-Party Alliance wanted to stage protests. He added that the police locked the Jinjira BNP office after it was opened in the morning. The alliance is watching the attitude of the government by observing our programme peacefully, he said.
The alliance also brought out processions in various places of the city, including Tejgaon, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Khilgaon, Banani, Dhanmondi, Mohammadpur, Dakkhin Khan, Mugda, DMCH area, Shyampur, Mirpur, Bongsal, Paltan, Sutrapur and the Dhaka Judges Court area.
The Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) brought out a procession from Gymnasium Gate. Police foiled another JCD procession brought out from Shahbagh.
The Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami brought out a procession at Kazipara in Mirpur in the morning.
