One killed, 50 hurt in Panchagarh police-BNP clash

A man was killed and at least 50 others were injured as police and BNP men clashed during the party's mass procession in Panchagarh district on Saturday afternoon.

The deceased was identified as Abdur Rashid Arefin whom BNP claimed as a leader of it while 20 policemen are among the injured.

Member secretary of Panchagarh BNP convener committee Farhad Hossain Azad said they brought out a peaceful mass procession in the district as elsewhere across the country but police obstructed it.

Abdur Rashid Arefin, the joint convener of Moynadighi union BNP under Boda upazila, was killed in the incident, he added.

He also alleged police detained several BNP leaders and activists from the procession.

Panchagarh Adhunik Sadar Hospital's resident physician Dr Rawfique Ahmed told Jago News that one Arefin was brought dead here but they are not confirmed yet how he died.

Additional Superintendent of the district Police (ASP) Md Rakibul Hasan, however, denied the death, claiming no incident of firing happened there.

Rather, police lobbed 20-25 round tear shells to disperse BNP leaders and activists as they threw brickbats toward cops and became aggressive, he said.

Around 20 policemen were injured in the incident, he also said, adding that none was, so far, arrested in this connection.

Shafiqul Alam/SU