DHAKA: Pickets from a procession hurled two petrol bombs towards security patrols amid mayhem after the arrest of ex-minister Mirza Abbas in the city’s Shahjahanpur area during Sunday’s hartal hours.

After the major incident in the capital during the BNP-called countrywide general strike, police and Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) strengthened joint drives across the capital.

Sources said hearing about the arrest of Mirza Abbas, a senior leader of the opposition BNP, party leaders and activists of his area brought out a protest procession in the morning.

As police dispersed the procession, the hartal supporters took shelter inside the Railway Colony compound.

At one stage, more than 400 policemen and RAB members raided the colony and detained five party activists, which triggered a chase and counter-chase between the opposition activists and the law enforcers.

“Amid the melee, the pickets threw two petrol bombs targeting the police and RAB trouble-shooters,” says a spot account of the clash.

After the explosions, 50 patrol cars of police and RAB drove in and cordoned off the spot. The law enforcers launched a massive search operation to flush out the activists, which continued for quite some time amid beatings and screams, and arrests.

Tensions mounted in the area as police and BNP activists confronted.

Meanwhile, police dispersed a Mohila Dal procession, led by its vice-president and Mirza Abbas’ wife Afroza Abbas, using truncheons at noon.  

BDST: 01:37 hrs, June 27, 2010.
SRR/MS/LY/MUA