Own reporter
The cocktail explosion took place during a demonstration organized by BNP in Bhola, demanding justice for the murder of Rajapur Union Chhatra Dal president Sifat. At the same time, the office of Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP), which is headed by Andalib Rahman Parth, was vandalized. Police fired several rounds of blank fire to bring the situation under control but no casualties were reported.
The incident took place during a BNP rally in front of the BJP office in New Bazaar area of the city on Monday (December 29) afternoon.
According to the pre-announced program of Bhola district BNP, thousands of leaders and activists of district BNP and its affiliated organizations took out a protest march from the district office in the afternoon. On the way back to the party office through Bangla School intersection and Kalibari Square, the procession circled the various roads of the city, suddenly the sound of a few cocktail explosions was heard. A section of the marchers got excited by this and gathered in front of the district BJP office located in the new market area.
When the situation turned volatile amid clashes with the police, the police fired several rounds of live ammunition to disperse the protesters. On this occasion, a group of miscreants broke the lock of the district office of BJP and broke into it, vandalized the furniture, television and threw the election leaflets kept in the office on the street. Later, the police reached the spot and brought the situation under control.
District BJP General Secretary Motashim Billa complained, “Our office was closed till afternoon.” During the procession of BNP, a group of terrorists attacked the office and caused extensive vandalism and indecent acts in the office premises.’
However, district BNP joint convener Enamul Haque denied these allegations and said, ‘BNP held a peaceful protest to demand justice for Sifat’s murder. BNP or our activists have nothing to do with the vandalism of BJP office.’
Bhola Sadar Model Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Monirul Islam said, “During the procession, there was a cocktail explosion and a group of miscreants tried to vandalize the BJP office. The police were forced to fire blanks to bring the situation under control.’
