Modi’s visit to Bangladesh: Thousands protest after violent clashes
Thousands took to the streets in Bangladesh on Saturday in protest of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Bangladesh.
A day earlier, five people were killed in a clash between hardline religious groups and police during the Indian prime minister’s visit, according to AFP.
The violence began at the main mosque in Dhaka and later spread to several districts, injuring several people.
A spokesman for the Bangladesh Border Guard said troops had been deployed since Friday night, but did not say how many.
Authorities have apparently restricted access to Facebook after sharing material on violence on social media.
On Saturday, thousands of people protested against police brutality and the visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
A nationwide protest was called for by the hardline religious group Hifazat-e-Islam. Thousands of demonstrators of Hizb-e-Islam protested in Hath Hazari. Friday was the worst violence in the region.
Zakaria Noman Fayazi, a spokeswoman for Hifazat-e-Islam, told AFP that about 10,000 Hath Hazari madrassa students were on the road, blocking a major highway.
Rohul Amin, a government spokesman for Hath Hazari, said supporters of Hifazat-e-Islam had erected temporary walls to prevent traffic and dug roads, but no violence had taken place.
According to Muhammad Jahangir, a senior police officer in Chittagong, Border Guard, Police and Elite Rapid Action Battalion personnel have been deployed in Hath Hazari Town.
Police Inspector Syed Mustafa told AFP Northern District hby Ganj police rubber bullets and tear gas fired at protesters near two hundred.
He said the protesters threw stones at police and arrested 10 people to violence.
At least 50 people were injured, according to a local newspaper.
Local media also reported clashes in the Ghazipur area north of Dhaka.
