100 Hurt in Bangladesh Protest Against Dancing and Gambling at Fair
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DHAKA, Bangladesh — Police used tear gas and clubs to disperse thousands of rock-throwing demonstrators led by Muslim clerics who protested gambling and dances by women at a local fair, police said Friday.
More than 100 people were injured in the three-hour clash Thursday in Habiganj, 125 miles northeast of Dhaka.
Habiganj police said about 15,000 people led by Muslim clerics gathered in the town to demand the closing of a government-sponsored fair that opened last week to promote agricultural products.
To attract more people and increase profits, the fair also included gambling and dance performances. The protesters claimed the fair was promoting “anti-Islamic acts.”
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