Police clash with mobile phone traders, Karwan Bazar battlefield

There have been repeated clashes between police and mobile phone traders in the Karwan Bazar intersection area of ​​the capital. The entire area has become a battlefield. Along with the police, RAB and the army are also working to control the situation. The police clashed with mobile phone traders since 1:35 pm today, Sunday (January 4).
It is learned that mobile phone traders gathered again at Karwan Bazar intersection to press for several demands. When the protesters tried to remove them from the road, a clash broke out with the police. Later, the law enforcement forces lobbed sound grenades and tear gas to control the situation. At one point, both sides also lobbed brickbats.
Additional police were deployed at the scene after receiving information about the clash. Army and RAB members were also deployed to control the situation. Police said that a total of seven sound grenades were lobbed and tear gas were used to control the situation. In the morning, the traders began a sit-in program by blocking the SAARC Foara intersection in Karwan Bazar. Around 11:30 am, the police beat them with sticks and removed them from the road. At this time, water cannons, ray tanks and sound grenades were used.
The situation became heated again when a section of the traders sat on the road again around 12 noon. The police dispersed them with water cannons and sticks. At this time, some people were detained. Later, the protesters were allowed to enter a nearby shopping mall. The Mobile Business Community Bangladesh (MBCB) said that the program is being held to protest the introduction of the National Equipment Identity Registration (NEIR) system and the release of those arrested in the attack on the BTRC building. Along with the sit-in program, the organization has announced that all mobile phone shops across the country will remain closed indefinitely.
Meanwhile, the blockade that started at 10:30 am disrupted traffic on the road from Bashundhara to Karwan Bazar. The common people have been facing traffic jams for a long time. As per the government’s earlier announcement, the National Equipment Identity Register (NEIR) has been officially launched from January 1. Under this system, the IMEI numbers of all phones used on mobile networks are being added to a national database. However, mobile phone traders have been opposing this system since the beginning.