Gazipur locals run riot on rumour
Block highways, damage 200 vehicles
Thousands of locals in Gazipur yesterday vandalised over 200 vehicles, torched a garment factory and barricaded roads for hours--all on rumours that Rajuk was acquiring land to build a satellite town.
Hundreds of vehicles bound for northern districts and greater Mymensingh were stranded for around four hours on Dhaka bypass and Dhaka-Mymensingh highway.
The situation began improving at around 5:30pm when local Awami League lawmaker AKM Mozammel Haque announced the government has cancelled Rajuk's "satellite town project comprising three unions in Gazipur and parts of Tongi". Addressing a rally at Bhogra, he said, "The prime minister has assured that her government will do nothing against public interest."
After the announcement, the demonstrators left the rally venue in victory processions. Contacted, a Rajuk official said they do not even have any project named Gazipur Satellite Town.
Kamal Uddin Talukder, Gazipur deputy commissioner, expressed frustration at the movement over the so-called project. He said the way people behaved over a rumour was unacceptable.
Traffic movement on Dhaka-Mymensingh and Dhaka-Tangail highways got back to normal at 7:00pm. The Bhogra rally was organised by "all-party action committee", demanding cancellation of "satellite town project".
Gachha, Bason and Pubail union parishad chairmen and local AL and BNP leaders spoke at the rally. Leaders of the committee said the "project", if implemented, would have affected houses of around 10,000 families and many mills and factories.
The local administration deployed four magistrates and a huge contingent of police to avert untoward incidents during the rally that began at 4:30pm.The law enforcers however could not do much as rumours flew around inciting people to violence.
Things spiralled out of control at around 3:30pm as thousands of locals wielding bamboo sticks and bricks went on the rampage along a seven-kilometre stretch on Dhaka-Mymensingh highway.They damaged vehicles and blockaded the road with burning tires.
Few of the stranded buses and cars had their glasses intact. Panicked, passengers got off their vehicles and ran for safety.To make matters worse, workers of garment and other factories in the area joined the demonstrators.
As workers of Rose Knitting at Dhaka Bypass Road crossing did not participate in the agitation, locals got locked into a clash with them. They ransacked the factory building and set fire to it, said eyewitnesses.
Police said at least 50 people including 12 cops were injured in the clashes.Gazipur Fire Service units doused the flames at the garment factory.Rafiqul Islam, deputy assistant director of fire service, said two tin-shed houses were gutted.
http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=145279
Hundreds of vehicles bound for northern districts and greater Mymensingh were stranded for around four hours on Dhaka bypass and Dhaka-Mymensingh highway.
The situation began improving at around 5:30pm when local Awami League lawmaker AKM Mozammel Haque announced the government has cancelled Rajuk's "satellite town project comprising three unions in Gazipur and parts of Tongi". Addressing a rally at Bhogra, he said, "The prime minister has assured that her government will do nothing against public interest."
After the announcement, the demonstrators left the rally venue in victory processions. Contacted, a Rajuk official said they do not even have any project named Gazipur Satellite Town.
Kamal Uddin Talukder, Gazipur deputy commissioner, expressed frustration at the movement over the so-called project. He said the way people behaved over a rumour was unacceptable.
Traffic movement on Dhaka-Mymensingh and Dhaka-Tangail highways got back to normal at 7:00pm. The Bhogra rally was organised by "all-party action committee", demanding cancellation of "satellite town project".
Gachha, Bason and Pubail union parishad chairmen and local AL and BNP leaders spoke at the rally. Leaders of the committee said the "project", if implemented, would have affected houses of around 10,000 families and many mills and factories.
The local administration deployed four magistrates and a huge contingent of police to avert untoward incidents during the rally that began at 4:30pm.The law enforcers however could not do much as rumours flew around inciting people to violence.
Things spiralled out of control at around 3:30pm as thousands of locals wielding bamboo sticks and bricks went on the rampage along a seven-kilometre stretch on Dhaka-Mymensingh highway.They damaged vehicles and blockaded the road with burning tires.
Few of the stranded buses and cars had their glasses intact. Panicked, passengers got off their vehicles and ran for safety.To make matters worse, workers of garment and other factories in the area joined the demonstrators.
As workers of Rose Knitting at Dhaka Bypass Road crossing did not participate in the agitation, locals got locked into a clash with them. They ransacked the factory building and set fire to it, said eyewitnesses.
Police said at least 50 people including 12 cops were injured in the clashes.Gazipur Fire Service units doused the flames at the garment factory.Rafiqul Islam, deputy assistant director of fire service, said two tin-shed houses were gutted.
http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=145279
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