Online Desk  :  A youth was killed in police firing and over 50 people were injured during a clash between police and the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement activists in Habiganj town on Friday (August 2) afternoon. The deceased was identified as Mostak Mia, 30, a PDB lineman, hailing from Tuker Bazar in Sylhet, our local correspondent reports quoting Maruf Hossain, a coworker of the victim.

Dr Momin Uddin Chowdhury, Resident Medical Officer (RMO) of Habiganj Sadar Hospital, confirmed about the death of Mostak Mia. It is learnt that agitating students thronged in front of Board Masjid in Habiganj town after Jumma prayer as part of their scheduled programme of “Prayer and Mass Procession of Students and People.”
Witnesses said as the students assembled at Board Masjid premises in Habiganj town, local Chhatra League activists took thronged at Purbo Town Hall area. At one stage, leaders and workers of Habiganj district Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) and other parties joined the mass procession of general students expressing solidarity.

Witnesses said when the general students brought their mass procession, they had confronted BCL activists at Town Hall area. At one stage, the demonstrators set fire to the district Awami League office there. Besides, they hurled brickbats at the house of local MP Abu Zahir of Habiganj-3 constituency. They also set ablaze 10 motorcycles kept in front of his house. When police went there, a chase and counter-chase took place with the agitating students.

Police fired more than 1,000 rounds of rubber bullets and dozens of teargas shells to bring the situation under control, leaving many injured. The injured were then rushed to Habiganj Sadar Hospital where Mostak Mia succumbed to his injuries while underwent treatment. Contacted, Habiganj’s additional police super (Sadar Circle) Md Khalilur Rahman said BNP, Jubo Dal and Chhatra Dal leaders and workers hurled brickbats at police entering the students’ procession which led to clash. Police fired rubber bullets and teargas shells to bring the situation under control.

It is learnt that Mostak came to the Habiganj town to buy a pair of shoes in the afternoon and at one point of the student movement, he came in the line of a gunshot, our correspondent reports quoting witnesses. Local people rescued Mostak and sent him to Habiganj Sadar Hospital where the on-duty doctor declared him dead.  The students gathered in many groups and thronged the main road of the town after the Juma prayer, witnesses said.

They locked into a clash when police were trying to reach the Awami League office to douse the fire, leaving one dead and 50 others injured critically.  The police fired rubber bullets and lobbed teargas shells at the protesters to disperse them from the streets. Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) were also deployed to bring the situation under control.