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Transport workers clashed with police in Chattogram on Tuesday, leaving four police officers, including an officer-in-charge, and several workers injured. Following the incident, the workers blocked two major roads in the city.
The clash took place around 3:30pm at Dulhan Community Centre in the Eidgah area of Halishahar during voting in the election of the Chattogram Inter-District Road Transport Workers’ Union.
After the clash, workers blocked roads in Kadamtali and Alankar areas. Buses on various routes, including the Chattogram-Dhaka route, usually depart from these locations. The blockade brought traffic to a standstill.
Police said voting had been underway since the morning. However, several workers complained about delays in voting due to mismanagement at the polling centre and alleged that fake votes were being cast. An argument then broke out between the workers and another group.
When police tried to disperse the two sides, a chase and counter-chase broke out between the workers and police. At one point, the workers began throwing bricks and stones at police officers. Police responded by firing tear gas shells to bring the situation under control.
When contacted, Kazi Mohammad Sultan Ahsan Uddin, officer-in-charge of Halishahar Police Station, said he and three other police officers were injured in the incident. They were receiving treatment at the Dampara Police Hospital. He said the incident began over workers’ anger about mismanagement at the polling centre.
Monowar Hossain, secretary of the Chattogram Inter-District Bus Owners’ Association, said, “Several members of our observer team were also injured. After bricks and stones were thrown, police fired tear gas shells. A chase and counter-chase then took place.”
