Hundreds of Islamic activists clash with Police in Bangladesh, 200 detained

WARNING: Article contains propaganda!

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Saleem Samad
Dhaka, Dhaka, Bangladesh
May 1, 2011

Hundreds of Islamic activists, wearing the traditional white Muslim dress, wearing skull caps and sporting copies of the Koran, marched in Dhaka on Sunday, where the police imposed a ban on political rallies.

Riot police wearing bullet-proof vest and armed with batons, tear gas and shot guns, clashed with the protesters who vowed to besiege the city center on Sunday for 48 hours.

A police spokesperson said nearly 200 protesters were wounded during the class with riot-police. An estimated 150 Islamic activists were detained, whisked away in prison vans.

Eyewitnesses said police lobbed tear gas canisters and used a water cannon to flush the agitating Islamic activists when they refused to vacate the area prohibited for assembly of people.

The protesters threw brickbats and chanted “Allah O’Akbar” (God is great) and fought a pitch battle with police. Scores of police and a few journalists were wounded during the fighting. None of the victims were wounded from police firing, a senior police officer Krisnapada Roy said.

The supporters and activists of Islami Andolan Bangladesh (Movement for Restoration of Islam in Bangladesh) are opposing secular policies of the government, especially recently proposed gender equality and education policies.

Earlier, the Islamist leader Mufti Muhammad Rezaul Karim declared on Saturday that if the government thwarts their planned protest rally, they would call for general strike in a bid to paralyze the country.

Prime minister Shiekh Hasina slammed the Islamists and argued that despite her government adhered to secular policies, but does not contradict the basic tenants of Islam. The Islamists, however, accuses the democratically elected government two years ago as anti-Islamic and vows to overthrow and establish controversial Sharia laws and Islamic constitution.

Source: All Headline News (AHN).
Link: http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/90047029?Hundreds%20of%20Islamic%20activists%20clash%20with%20Police%20in%20Bangladesh%2C%20200%20detained.