DHAKA: At least 30 activists of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami were injured in a clash while 45 arrested from different parts of the country till Wednesday afternoon amid a backlash against the arrest of its three top leaders Tuesday.
In a fight with law-enforces in Savar area Wednesday, 30 Jamaat men were injured. Police also held seven from the scene.
Witnesses said the local Jamaat activists brought out a procession as part of the scheduled central protest programme in Savar bazaar bus-stand are after Zohr prayers.
Later they blockaded the Dhaka-Aricha highway. The clash that ensued when police charged truncheons on the squatters to disperse them left the activists injured.
Meanwhile, law-enforcers picked up 22 activists of Jamaat and Shibir on the premises of Dhaka’s Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court on Wednesday noon while attempting to stage a procession.
They were gathering around the court assuming that the arrested Jamaat ladders--Ameer Moulana Matiur Rahman Nizami, Secretary-General Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujaheed and Nayab-e Ameer Delwar Hossain Sayedee--might be produced before the court, reports BanglaNews24.com.bd court correspondent Mobinul Islam.
The leaders were arrested in the capital and Savar on Tuesday, hours after a Dhaka court issued arrest warrant against them in connection with a case filed against them for hurting religious sentiments of Muslims.
Riot police and RAB were deployed on the court premises for tackling any untoward situation. Members from different detective agencies also took position on the crowded court premises.
In another development outside of the city, law-enforcers also detained at least 16 Jamaat activists on Wednesday from Natore, Kushtia and Narail on suspicion of destructive activities on their part.
Kushtia correspondent reports: Police picked up four top local leaders of Jamaat, including the district Ameer, in a massive drive on Tuesday night.
The detainees are former MP and Kushtia Jamaat Ameer Abdul Wahed, Nayab-e-Ameer Farhad Hussain, Kumarkhali town acting Ameer Abdul Bari Patoari and Bheramara Ameer Harun-ar-Rashid.
Besides, police said they recovered a bomb from the residence of Harun-ar-Rashid at Bheramara.
Deputy police super (Sadar Circle) C A Halim told banglanews24.com.bd that a case was filed against the leaders on charges of carrying bomb, disrupting public life and destroying property, obstructing police activities and provoking commoners against the government.
Natore correspondent said police arrested nine Jamaat members in a raid in the district at the dead of Tuesday night.
The detained persons are former district secretary-general Abdul Awal Bachhu, office secretary Sadequr Rahman, activists Nurul Islam Kochi, Jainal Abedin and principal Kazi Riajul Islam Momin.
Jamaat activists Amzad Hossain, Qari Kalam, Mahbub Hossain and A K M Afzal Hossain were picked up from different areas in Bagatipara Upazila of the district.
In Narail, Sadar Thana police arrested three leaders of Jamaat on Tuesday night. Second officer of Narail Sadar Thana Delwar Hossain told banglanews24.com.bd, “We arrested them under criminal procedure code for illegal procession and suspicion about subversive act.
District Ameer Mawlana Nurunnabi Zihadi alleged, “Police arrested them from their houses at midnight without any cause.”
BDST 1407 hrs June 30, 2010
