Traders strike in Rangamati passes peacefully
UNB
A 12-hour strike, called by local traders in Rangamati College Gate area protesting against ransacking of their shops during a clash between Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) activists and Pahari Chhatra Parishad (PCP) activists that also left 10 people injured, was underway without witnessing any untoward happening, reports UNB from Rangamati. On the other hand, BCL activists brought out a procession and held a rally in the town in the morning protesting against what they said was an attack on them by PCP men. They also demanded immediate arrest of the attackers.
A large number of law enforcers remained deployed in the area to fend off any trouble following the clash.
Meanwhile, Rangamati College was closed on Saturday for an indefinite period following the incident.
Earlier on Saturday, at least 10 students were injured as BCL activists attacked PCP activists on the Rangamati College campus.
Sources said PCP activists brought out a procession and held a rally on the campus at noon protesting against the governments move to set up Rangamati Medical College and Rangamati Science and Technology University in the district.
Following the programme, two PCP activists were harassed by some BCL activists on the campus. As a sequel to the incident, activists of the two organisations locked in an altercation.
They chased and counter-chased each other for about one and a half hour in College Gate, Kalyanpur and TTC areas.
At one stage, police rushed to the spot and fired teargas shells as well as several rounds of bullet from shotgun to control the situation. The feuding groups also ransacked some shops during the clash in the area.
