Clashes erupt in Dinajpur as transport workers protest union leader arrest
Photo Collected
DINAJPUR — At least 20 people were injured and several vehicles set ablaze during violent clashes between rival factions of transport workers in Dinajpur on Thursday. The unrest erupted following the arrest of a local labor leader, prompting protests that paralyzed road communications across the district.
The violence centered on the arrest of Sheikh Badsha, joint general secretary of the District Motor Transport Workers Union and a former leader of the Jatiya Sramik League. Detective Branch police apprehended Badsha late Wednesday night in the Maharaj Batatali (Rajarhat) area. Badsha had reportedly resigned from his Sramik League post following the political upheaval in July and was actively campaigning for the general secretary position in the upcoming union election scheduled for September 19.
Protests began at approximately 7:00 a.m. on Thursday as Badsha’s supporters surrounded the Kotwali Police Station. The demonstrators blocked key entry points to the city by positioning buses and trucks across the roads, effectively severing internal and inter-district transportation links.
By midday, the protest turned chaotic as the labor force splintered into two opposing factions: supporters of Sheikh Badsha and followers of rival leader Md. Hiru. From 12:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., the two groups engaged in a series of running battles outside the main gate of the police station. During the altercation, two buses and a motorcycle belonging to a television cameraman, Md. Rubel, were set on fire. Fire services were dispatched to the scene to extinguish the blazes.
Emergency responders transported 17 injured individuals to Dinajpur Medical College Hospital. Among the casualties, a 40-year-old worker identified as Md. Palash sustained critical injuries and was subsequently transferred to Rangpur Medical College Hospital for advanced treatment.
Order was partially restored by 3:00 p.m. as followers of Md. Hiru gained control of the area surrounding the police station. Shortly thereafter, police escorted Badsha to court, where he was formally remanded to prison. Witnesses noted that several individuals brandishing sticks and improvised weapons were seen in the vicinity during the police escort.
Additional Superintendent of Police for the Sadar Circle, Abdul Halim, confirmed that authorities have cleared the barricades from all roads, with the exception of the central bus terminal, and that traffic flow has resumed. Officials stated that the legal process regarding the arrested union leader is now underway.
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