Dhaka (PTI): Security agencies used batons and fired tear gas on Monday to disperse protesters who tried to demolish the house of deposed premier Sheikh Hasina's father and Bangladesh's founder Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in the capital.
"Several sound grenades were used to disperse the protesters," Masud Alam, deputy commissioner of Ramna Division Police, was quoted as saying by the Daily Star newspaper.
The paper reported that several protesters and security personnel were injured during the baton-charge and brick-hurling clashes.
Mujibur Rahman, fondly called Bangabandhu, was killed in a military coup on August 15, 1975, along with most of his family members, including his 10-year-old youngest son, Sheikh Russell.
A large part of Rahman's private residence, which was turned into a museum, was levelled following the ouster of the Awami League regime of Hasina last year.
On Monday, Hasina was sentenced to death in absentia by a special tribunal for "crimes against humanity" over her government's brutal crackdown on student-led protests last year.
Even before the verdict was announced, a large group of protesters tried to move two excavators towards Dhanmondi 32, where Rahman's house is located. They were stopped by security personnel, who used batons to disperse protesters, the paper said.
Some protesters regrouped near Square Hospital on Panthapath, where law enforcers fired several rounds of tear gas.
Traffic on Mirpur Road in Dhaka and the surrounding areas was suspended, and most shops in the neighbourhood were closed.
Around 2:45 pm, law enforcers pulled back amid intense pressure from the demonstrators.
Minutes later, the army, police and RAB began using batons and sound grenades, bringing the area back under full control.
Police have placed barricades in front of the premises and are currently not allowing anyone inside the site.
“We will not allow anyone to take the law into their own hands under any circumstances,” Additional deputy commissioner of Dhanmondi division Zisanul Haque was quoted as saying by the Prothom Alo newspaper.
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Vittla (Dakshina Kannada): A case has been registered at the Vittla Police Station against a school teacher on charges of seriously assaulting a student with a cane at an English-medium school in Idkidu village here near Vittla in Dakshina Kannada district.
According to the complaint, the student, who attends the school regularly, had gone to school as usual. Around 2 pm, the child’s parents received a call from the school office stating that their child had allegedly disturbed other students. The school informed them that when the teacher scolded the student over the issue, the child became frightened and urinated, and the parents were asked to come and take the child home.
The parents reportedly told the school staff that no one was at home at the time and requested that the child be sent home in an autorickshaw.
After returning home, the student told the parents that a teacher identified as Istikaar had beaten him severely on the hand with a cane. The child also said that he urinated out of fear while the assault was taking place.
When the parents contacted the teacher over the phone to question him about the incident, he allegedly responded in a dismissive manner.
Following this, the parents lodged complaints with the Vittla Police Station and the Child Development Project Office, seeking justice and strict action against the teacher for allegedly assaulting the child without any valid reason.
Police have registered a case against the teacher and have taken up further investigation.
