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30 hurt in police protesters clash

At least 30 people were injured as police charged batons on anti-gas-block-lease demonstrators in the city on Wednesday.
Some policemen were also injured in the incident when demonstrators hurled brickbats and stones on them.
The trouble erupted at about 12:30 pm when the demonstrators, under the banner of the National Committee to Protect Oil, Gas, Mineral Resources, Power and Ports, tried to move ahead by breaking the police barricade near Bijoynagar area, witnesses and police said.
The committee, comprising mostly leftwing organisations and individuals, called the protest programme against the government''s recent decision to award gas-exploration rights in the Bay of Bengal to US and Irish oil companies.
The witnesses said several hundred activists took out a procession from Paltan area. As the processionists started moving towards and reached Bijoynagar area to lay a siege to Petrobangla head office, police intercepted them.
"As the protesters tried to break the police barricades, the law-enforcers started charging baton on them, leaving many of them injured," said a witness.
The angry protestors retaliated by hurling brickbats and stones on them. They also damaged few motor vehicles during the melee, witnesses said.
Police said their 12 members were injured as the protestors hurled brickbats on them when they were "trying to maintain order".
The injured include Prof Anu Mohammad, member-secretary of the committee, BSD leader Bazlur Rashid Firoz, Samajtantrik Chhatra Front
leaders Rahat Ahmed, Biplob Mandal, Mintu Biswas, Keshab Lal Samaddar
Srikanta, Iva Biswas and Rokhsana Afroz Asha and its members Anita Baroi, Sangita Baroi, Tania Alam, Taposhi Rabeya Akhi and Fahmina Mouri.
They are now undergoing treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH).
Talking to reporters at DMCH, Anu Mohammad said: "The people have given the government mandate to protect the national resources, but they are trying to hand over the resources to imperialist multinational companies."
Meanwhile, Progotishil Chhatra Jote held a rally at TSC on the Dhaka University campus in protest against the incident. It demanded legal action against those responsible for the incident.

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