Star Report
Hathazari upazila administration in Chittagong yesterday afternoon imposed Section-144 following clashes between two groups of locals over a trivial matter.
The order, which prohibits assembly of five or more people, will be in force until normalcy returns, said Farid Ahmed, Hathazari upazila nirbahi officer.
A brawl between the two groups broke out on Thursday centring a religious event and escalated into a fully-fledged clash that continued in phases until yesterday afternoon.
Locals in their thousands put barricade at Fatehabad on Chittagong-Hathazari road yesterday morning. Police rushed there and tried to control the situation. They had to fire rubber bullets and use teargas to calm the locals down and to prevent them from attacking the law enforcers.
Chittagong Superintendent of Police ZA Morshed said in clashes with the unruly mob, five policemen, including two assistant police superintendents, were injured and they took treatment at a local hospital.
The feuding groups vandalised several structures and torched a few as well.
An official at the Chittagong Fire Service Control Room said two fire engines were dispatched and they managed to douse the fires after an hour-long effort.
Primary and Mass Education Minister Afsarul Amin, Deputy Commissioner of Chittagong Fayez Ahmed, and former Chittagong City Corporation mayor ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury rushed to the upazila and called for calm.
There was an attempt to negotiate for calm among the groups concerned but talks broke down. The groups were still furious and showed little signs of backing down. They held each other responsible for the violence, clash, vandalism and torching of structures.
To avoid further violence, the upazila administration imposed the Section 144 around 5:00pm.
Sub-Inspector Sentu Miah of Hathazari Police Station said additional force was deployed in the area.
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