At least 23 people including eight coppers were maimed in a clash between cops and BNP-Jamaat activists over bringing out a procession in protest against an anti-Islami film at Sunderganj upazila in Gaibandha yesterday.Police fired a hundred blank shots and two rounds of tear gas to disperse the procession, said Jalal Uddin Ahmed, a sub-inspector of Sunderganj Police Station.
The law enforcers also picked up eight Jamaat activists from the spot, he added.
Police and witnesses said BNP-Jamaat activists brought out the procession in the evening chanting slogans and demanding punishment of the US filmmaker.
When the demonstrators reached the Amtoli point around 6:00pm, a police contingent intercepted the procession and charged truncheons to disperse them.
A running battle between law enforcers and activists started. At one stage, demonstrators threw brick bats at cops, leaving eight coppers, including two assistant sub-inspectors (ASI), injured.
ASI Nitai Chandra was rushed to Rangpur Medial College Hospital in a critical condition. The other injured coppers including ASI Shyamol Chandra, constables Abdur Razzak, Shyamol Kumar were admitted to Sunderganj Health Complex.
The 15 injured activists of BNP-Jamaat were admitted to different local clinics in the district.
Assistant Police Superintendent Mahfuzar Rahman said additional police force had been deployed to avoid further violence.