An activist from Bangladesh's main opposition political party was killed and nearly 100 others were injured during a clash with police on Thursday in the country's central industrial area of Narayanganj, according to local and official sources.
The clash reportedly broke out when activists from the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) were holding a rally to commemorate the party's 44th anniversary.
Opposition leaders claimed that police deliberately attacked their peaceful march, injuring approximately 100 people who were taken to several local hospitals and health care facilities.
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir condemned the incident and demanded that those responsible be punished.
"One of our workers was killed. We strongly condemn this killing and demand the concerned authorities to immediately identify and bring to justice the culpable perpetrators," Alamgir said after a function commemorating the party's 44th founding anniversary in the capital Dhaka.
The party was founded by late president Ziaur Rahman, a notable independence warrior, and his jailed wife Begum Khaleda Zia, who served as the country's prime minister three times.
The deceased has been identified as Shaon, 24, an activist of the BNP youth front.
Police, on the other hand, said the party arranged the rally and blocked the road without prior approval.
"We requested them to make the road clear for commuters. But they paid no attention to us. At one point, the BNP men flung bricks and stones at us," Narayanganj police superintendent Golam Mostafa told journalists.
He also claimed that at least 20 policemen were injured, with five of them shifted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital for further treatment.
Political tensions have been observed in recent months in the 165-million-strong south Asian Muslim majority delta nation ahead of the upcoming general election next year.
The BNP and other political parties have demanded that the election be held under a non-political caretaker set-up. However, the ruling Awami League party is adamant to hold it under the incumbent government, citing constitutional obligations.
