Five more killed in fresh Bangladesh violence during Modi visit

(Update 1: Adds latest details, quotes, changes headline, lede, edits throughout.)

Dhaka, Mar 27 (efe-epa).- Five people were killed and over a dozen people were injured in fresh clashes between security forces and supporters of the hardline Islamist group Hefazat-e-Islam in Bangladesh on Friday during the state visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The latest clashes in the eastern Brahmanbaria district took the number of casualties in the ant-Modi demonstrations to 10. On Friday, five people died in the Hefazat stronghold Chittagong and Brahmanbaria.

Modi, who the group called an “extremist” and accused of killing Muslims in Gujarat and Kashmir, came to Bangladesh Friday for a two-day state visit coinciding with the country’s 50th Independence Day celebrations.

Brahmanbaria Sadar hospital doctor Abdullah Al Mamun confirmed the death of three people on Saturday.

“Three patients were brought dead, they all had gunshot injuries. One of them was hit by a bullet in the head, one in the chest and a bullet pierced through the body of another person,” Mamun said.

Mamun added that 14 injured people were admitted to the hospital, most with gunshot injuries.

Shahid Uddin, an on-duty nurse, confirmed the death of two people among the injured at the hospital.

Hefazat spokesman Azizul Islam also confirmed the death of five of their supporters in Saturday’s clashes, saying that they were attacked by police, the Border Guard Bangladesh paramilitary and ruling party supporters.

Hefazat demonstrated against the killings in several districts today, including in the capital Dhaka. The group called for a general strike on Sunday.