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Sylhet clash toll rises to three; two cases filed against 8,000

Sylhet, Apr 24 (UNB) – Another BNP activist, who suffered serious injuries during Monday’s violent clash between police and pro-hartal pickets at Biswanath upazila headquarters, died on Tuesday, taking the death toll to 3.

Locals said Zakir Hossain, a local BNP activist, succumbed to his injuries at Sylhet Osmani Medical College Hospital at about 1pm.

Earlier, on Monday, two BNP activists — Monwar Hossain and Osman Ali— were shot dead and over 200 injured in the clash that broke out when police obstructed pro-hratal activists from bringing out a procession at Basia Bridge in the upazila headquarters.

Meanwhile, Biswanath upazila administration and police filed two cases against 8,000 people on Monday night in connection with the violence.

The upazila administration filed a case against 3,000 unnamed people while filed another against 5,000 unidentified people.

Police have so far arrested 50 people after the filing of the cases.

Sources said the upazila administration was preparing to file more cases in connection with the same incident, creating panic in the area.

Many panicked villagers have fled their homes fearing arrest and harassment following the filing of the cases.
A huge number of Rab, police and Border Guard of Bangladesh members have been deployed in the area to avoid further trouble.

Ilias Ali, a former MP from Biswanath, and BNP’s organising secretary, and his driver remained missing since April 17 midnight. The main opposition BNP blamed security agencies for the mysterious disappearance of Ilias Ali, an allegation denied by the government.

BNP enforced a countrywide dawn-to-dusk hartal for the third straight day on Tuesday demanding the return of Ilias Ali and his driver, Ansar Ali.