Bangladesh: 50 injured in clashes in Dhaka

Dhaka : At least 50 people, including 15 policemen, were injured Monday when workers of a textile mill protesting a road accident clashed with police in a Bangladesh town, authorities and witnesses said.

The clashes took place in Kanchpur area of Narayanganj, 15 km from Dhaka, the Daily Star reported.

The employees of Sinha Textile Mill in Narayanganj blocked the Dhaka-Sylhet highway for about two hours Monday, following a rumour that one of their women colleagues was killed in an accident.

Police said the woman employee of the textile mill was injured when a bus hit her Monday morning while she was crossing the highway. She was later treated for her injuries.

Police resorted to firing tear-gas shells and rubber bullets to control the mob, said Sheikh Nazmul Alam, superintendent of police in Narayanganj.

The protesters attacked a police camp, set fire to a motorcycle of a sub-inspector and vandalised around 20 vehicles on the roads, police said. Six people were arrested.

“TRIED AND PUNISHED”

In Dhaka, the protesters said the trials were politically motivated and should be stopped, witnesses said.

In Rajshahi, protesters chanted “we shall avenge the harassment of our leaders”, said an official in the town.

Human Rights Watch has said the law under which the accused were being tried fell short of international standards of due process. It cited defense lawyers, witnesses and investigators as saying they had been threatened during the trial.

The ruling party of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who set up the tribunal, has denied the accusations of bias.

Mohammad Nasim, a senior leader of Hasina’s Awami League party and a former home minister, brushed off the protesters’ calls for the tribunal to stop and said those responsible for abuses during the independence war had to face justice.

“They won’t be able to stop it through acts of violence and lawlessness,” Nasim said.

Hasina has also said those trying to derail the work of the tribunal would not succeed.

“Most of the Bangladeshi people want the war criminals tried and punished,” Hasina said on Sunday.