Dhaka, July 17 (V7N) - On Wednesday, a clash erupted between BNP leaders and activists and the police in front of the National Mosque Baitul Mukarram.

Witnesses reported that opposition leaders and activists had organized a procession following a funeral prayer in absentia (gayebana janaza) at the north gate of Baitul Mukarram Mosque for students killed in the quota reform movement. The clash began when the police attempted to obstruct the procession.

Law enforcement officers dispersed the opposition leaders and followers using batons, tear gas, and sound grenades. In response, the opposition activists retreated to various lanes and alleys, hurling stones and bricks at the police during the approximately 20-minute clash.

Earlier, several leaders and activists from the BNP and other parties involved in the simultaneous movement had attended the funeral prayer at Baitul Mukarram Mosque amidst tight security and alleged police obstruction. The janaza was held after Zuhr prayers at the north gate of the mosque.

Speaking to reporters after the janaza, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir criticized the government's handling of the quota reform movement, stating that the issue could have been resolved through dialogue with the students. "But the situation has been pushed towards conflict and violence, and students have been killed," he said.

Fakhrul urged the people of the country to support the students' legitimate demand for reform in the quota system for government jobs. He also extended support to the student movement, accusing the police of staging a raid on their central office, planting bombs and sticks there to divert the student movement in a different direction.

The BNP leader condemned the police for preventing opposition leaders and activists from participating in the janaza for the deceased students. "We strongly condemn and protest it," he stated.

BNP Joint Secretary General Shahiduddin Chowdhury Anee alleged that the police did not allow many leaders and activists to join the funeral prayer in absentia. He said the police had taken positions around the national mosque since noon, obstructing opposition leaders and activists from entering the mosque and detaining many of them. Anee also reported that the law enforcers had beaten opposition leaders and activists both before and after the janaza.

On Tuesday night, Mirza Fakhrul announced plans to hold funeral prayers in absentia across the country on Wednesday for the students killed in the quota reform movement. This announcement was made during a press conference following a meeting with the leaders of Ganatantra Mancha at the BNP Chairperson’s Gulshan office.

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