United News of Bangladesh

There was no attack on the official residence of Barishal Sadar upazila UNO Wednesday and posters and banners were being removed as part of routine activity of the city corporation staff, according to Barisal district and metropolitan units of the Awami League (AL). More than 60 Awami League leaders and activists and city corporation staff were shot as the law enforcers opened fire under the direction of the upazila nirbahi officer (UNO) on Wednesday. However, the situation did not require shooting, the AL units said Thursday. Read:Barishal mayor among 94 ruling party activists sued over violence The AL leaders said this to the media at Barishal City Corporation Mayor Serniabat Sadiq Abdullah's residence in the city while demanding the removal of Barishal Sadar UNO Munibur Rahman and the release of arrested AL activists. However, the mayor was not present at that time. General Secretary of Barishal district unit AL Talukdar Md Younus said legal actions would be taken over the incident on behalf of the party. Meanwhile, Barishal City Corporation Mayor Sadiq had been made the primary accused in two cases filed over violence in the city Wednesday night. UNO Munibur and Sub-Inspector Shahjalal Mallick were the plaintiffs in the cases, accusing the mayor and his men of obstruction of government work and attempt to murder. "As many as 94 activists of the ruling party and its affiliate organisations were accused in the cases," said Officer-in-Charge of Kotwali Model Police Station Nurul Islam. Read:Public transport services resume in Barishal Meanwhile, police arrested 13 AL activists and the Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) from different parts of the city in connection with the two cases filed over the attack on the residence of the UNO. The clash broke out between the supporters of the AL, BCL and members of Ansar when the former tried to attack the residence of the UNO at Sadar Upazila Complex in Barishal Wednesday night. Five people suffered bullet wounds during the clash. According to witnesses, the city corporation staff went to the residence of UNO Munibur to lower a banner hanging over the area. Read:Barishal: Bus services suspended as clash leaves 30 injured At one stage, the UNO came out and enquired about the matter, leading to a verbal altercation between him and Swapan Kumar Das, a city corporation staff. During this time, some 25-30 people entered the complex, and a scuffle broke out between Ansar and the mob, triggering a clash. At one stage, the Ansar members opened fire on them. On information, police rushed to the spot and charged batons to disperse the mob. Some 25 people were injured in the clashes with the police and Ansar.

Barishal city corporation mayor Serniabat Sadiq Abdullah has been made the primary accused in two cases filed over violence in the city on Wednesday night. Upazila Nirbahi officer Munibur Rahman of Barisal Sadar Upazila and Assistant sub-inspector of police Shahjalal Mallick were the plaintiffs in these cases accusing the mayor and his men of obstruction of government work and attempt to murder. The officer-in charge of Kotwali Model Police Station Nurul Islam, where the two cases were filed confirmed the information to UNB. Read: Bus services suspended as clash leaves 30 injured However the specific charges brought against the mayor were not clarified by the OC. “As many as 94 activists of the ruling party and its affiliate organisations were accused in the cases,” he said. Meanwhile, police arrested as many as 13 activists of the ruling Awami League and  Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) from different parts of the city in connection with the attack on the residence of the Sadar Upazila UNO. Joint general secretary of Barishal Metropolitan unit of the Awami League, Hasan Mahmud Babu, and vice-president of the city unit of BCL Oliullah Oli were among the arrestees, said officer-in-charge of Kotwali Model Police Station, Nurul Islam. The clash broke out between the supporters of the Awami League, BCL and members of Ansar when the former tried to attack the residence of the UNO at Sadar Upazila Complex in Barishal on Wednesday night. Five people suffered bullet wounds during the clash. The transport workers, including the supporters of Barishal City Corporation mayor, activists of Chhatra League and Jubo League, blocked the Dhaka-Barishal highway by placing buses in Rupatoli and Nathullabad Bus Terminal areas in the small hours of Wednesday. Besides, launch services in Barishal also remained suspended as the supporters of the mayor did not allow any passenger vessel to leave the terminal, causing immense sufferings to the commuters. According to eye-witnesses, the Nagar Bhaban staffers went to the residence of Sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Munibur Rahman to lower a banner hanging over the area. At one stage, the UNO came out and asked the reason, leading to an altercation between him and Swapan Kumar Das, a staffer of the city corporation. During the altercation, some 25-30 people entered the complex and a scuffle broke out between the Ansar members and the so-called mob over the issue, triggering a clash. At one stage, the Ansar members opened fire on them, leaving five injured. On information, police rushed to the spot and charged batons to disperse them. Some 25 people were injured in the clash with the cops. Shahabuddin Khan, police commissioner of Barishal, said, "A police team rushed to the spot and the attackers threw brick chips targeting the cops, forcing them to retaliate. Three policemen and two Ansar members were injured during the incident.” They also vandalised a bus in the area in the night. Three people who sustained bullet injuries—Shahrier Babu, Harun-or-Rashid and Tanvir-- were taken to Barishal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College and Hospital. Of them, Tanvir was shifted to Dhaka for better treatment. UNO Munibur Rahman said, “Some 15-20 people identifying themselves as Chattra League members entered the house. Later, some 60-70 people also entered the complex and went up to the first floor of the upazila complex building. They also tried to attack me but the Ansar members saved me." Mayor Serniabat told the media, "The city corporation staffers went there to perform their duties but the Ansar members attacked them.” He has demanded a probe into the clash. Read: Public transport services resume in Barishal After nearly six hours, bus and launch services in Barishal resumed on Thursday noon following the intervention of the local administration. The bus services in Barishal and other parts of the country had remained suspended since morning as transport workers blocked the Dhaka-Barishal highway in protest against Wednesday's clash that left over 30 injured. Deputy Commissioner Jasim Uddin Haider of Barishal hinted that ten platoons of the Border Guards Bangladesh would be deployed in the city to  prevent further deterioration of law and order. He also added that ten executive magistrates may also arrive in Barishal from surrounding districts to help the local authorities to maintain law and order.