Panchagarh BNP leader killed in police firing
The incident happened at about 4:00pm during a clash between BNP activists and police in front of the District BNP office.
The slain BNP leader was Abdur Rashid Arefin, said Panchagarh District BNP member Advocate Nazmul Islam Kajol.
Kajol said Arefin was BNP’s joint convener at Moynadighi union under Boda upazila in Panchagarh district. He was injured during the clash with police. Arefin later succumbed at a local hospital.
However, police denied the allegation of killing any BNP leader.
Panchagarh additional police super Rakibul Hasan said 20 policemen were injured in the attacks of BNP men. “No incident of firing was happened. Only 10 rounds of teargas shells were fired. So, question doesn’t arise about the death of anyone at all,” he said.
BNP brought out mass processions across the country on Saturday except Dhaka and Rangpur metropolitan cities. As part of the centrally announced programmes, Panchagarh BNP brought out a mass procession at about 4:00pm from the BNP office at Panchagarh town.
The BNP leaders and workers alleged that police had barred them to proceed further when they brought out their mass procession. At that time, clash broke out between BNP activists and police. At one stage, police opened fire at the opposition activists which left Abdur Rashid Arefin bullet ridden. The critically injured Arefin was rushed to Panchagarh Adhunik Sadar Hospital where he succumbed while he was undergoing treatment. Dozens of BNP leaders and workers were injured during the clash with police. They are now undergoing treatment at different local clinics.
