Flow of blood continues: Martyrs at Cox's Bazaar

On the 15^th of February, after Jumuah prayers, a procession was brought out under the banner the Maulana Sayedee Mukti Parishad at Bazarghata area of Cox’s Bazaar, with supporters of Jamaat-e-Islami, Islami Chhatro Shibir and the Olama Mashayekh. As the procession went east through the main road of the city, hundreds of musallis joined it from different mosques on the way. The procession was followed by a large police contingent. They seemed peaceful. The protesters surged forward not knowing of the massacre that was about to be unleashed.

As the procession reached Rumaliarchora area, police stationed at Hashemia gate obstructed the procession and started firing indiscriminately. The protesters retaliated by throwing bricks. The bullets rained and two of the protesters died on the spot as hundreds were bullet ridden. Many bullet ridden protesters writhed on the ground as others fled the scene in self defence and tried to escape through alleyways. Police were seen shooting into alleyways as they pursued the protesters.

  

As news of the deaths spread around the city, anger spread like wildfire among the general population. They brought out a procession along with the Jamaat-Shibir activists. A huge procession was brought out from the bus terminal area of the city towards the west. The procession engulfed the police and barricaded the intersection. Getting hold of the situation, police stopped firing. Around 200 police were kept under siege at Hashemia Madrassah by the angry protesters for about 3 hours. The BGB was deployed in an attempt to control the situation. The angry protesters ended their intersection barricade after talks with the administration. The situation seemed to have come under control. The protesters started leaving the area.

But more sorrow was to come. As the protesters were leaving the area, some came under the armed attack of a group of ruling party activists and the Chhatro League. Many were injured as the cadres attacked fleeing protesters by opening fire. 

BGB and police were seen to patrol the streets as the administration imposed section 144 in wake of these events.

Cries of the wounded and the bullet ridden echoed through the premises of the District Sadar hospital and the Fuad Al Khatib hospital as injured protesters and their families poured in at regular intervals. Officials at the District Sadar hospital said that at least 9 emergency cases had been referred to Chittagong Medical College.

The martyrs are: Jamaat-e-Islami activist Nurul Haque (42),son of Kalimullah from Sadar Upazila Islampur Union, Mostaq Ahmed’s son Mohammad Abdullah (27) of Piemkhali Union, KalimUllah’s son Tofail Ahmed (22) from Shortoli of Godarpara and Saleh Ahmed (42), son of Hamid Ali of Shatkania Chittagong.  

This is a video of the unrest posted by Basherkella on Facebook.  

It is mentionable that other news sources have talked of 7 deaths  to 10 deaths