Five people including a journalist were injured in a clash between the activists of BNP-led alliance and police in the Chittagong city on Wednesday during the alliance’s mass contact programme.
The clash began shortly after the activists began a rally near Oxygen Crossing at about midday, demanding a non-party caretaker government and protesting at the ‘persecution’ of their leaders and activists in the hands of the present government.
The police, however, said they acted after they were attacked by those participating in the rally.
Chittagong Metropolitan Police additional deputy commissioner Mohammed Shahidullah said the agitators threw stones at them after which the clash began.
He said the police fired teargas shells and several rubber bullets.
Among the injured was Sajib Hossain, camera crewman of private TV station Channel 24.
The agitators reportedly vandalised several vehicles, including one of Channel 24 during the incident.
The BNP standing committee member MK Anwar who was scheduled to attend the rally could not participate in the programme because of the clash.
He later was present at a human chain formed by the city unit Jatiyatabadi Mahila Dal on the Chittagong Press Club premises, protesting at several incidents of child rape reported from different parts of the country recently.
Anwar at the programme said the Awami League-led government in its ongoing rule could not give the nation anything but murders, forced disappearances, rapes and robberies.