Public gathering banned in Bhola after clashes

The local administration in Bhola imposed an indefinite ban on public gathering in the district on Monday, a day after clashes between protesters and police left four people dead.

Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Masud Alam Siddique said that the move was aimed at maintaining law and order.

“It’ll remain effective until further notice,” Siddique was quoted by UNB as saying.

Meanwhile, the district bus owners association stopped intra-district operation from 6:00am citing security reasons, its Organising Secretary Shafiqul Islam told UNB.

Maulana Ataur Rahman, secretary of Islami Andolan Bangladesh’s Bhola unit, said they plan to hold a pre-announced public gathering later in the day under the banner of All Party Muslim Unity Council.

Members of law enforcement and border guard troopers were patrolling the town to prevent any untoward incident.

At least four people were killid and more than 200 people injured in Sunday’s clash in Borhanuddin upazila – many of them suffered gunshot wounds.

Police and locals said messages containing derogatory remarks about Allah and Prophet Muhammad were sent to several persons from the Facebook ID of Biplob Chandra Shuvo. Screenshots of the messages went viral on Facebook, triggering condemnation and protests.

Md Enamul Haque, officer-in-charge of Borhanuddin Police Station, said Biplob came to them on Saturday to file a general diary claiming that his Facebook account had been hacked. Two suspected hackers were detained.