At least 20 people were injured as two factions of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), student front of ruling Awami League, clashed at Chandraganj Bazar of Laxmipur Sadar in the early hours of Saturday. Those injured include bullet-hit Kazi Mamunur Rashid Bablu, Chandraganj union BCL president.The clash was a sequel to a longstanding conflict between two groups-one headed by BCL District Vice-President Ramiz Uddin and Chandraganj Union BCL president Kazi Mamunur Rashid Bablu over establishing supremacy in the district, sources said.The clash started at around 2 AM when BCL supporters attacked a shop owned by Shakil, a brother of Ramiz Uddin, after an altercation with Shakil.When the news spread a group of armed BCL men led by Ramiz Uddin launched a counter attack at the Deopara village home of Bablu. Both the groups hurled brick chips at each other and exchanged gunshots during the clash, leaving 20 people injured, witnesses and police sources said. One of the activists received bullet injuries during the one-hour clash. Kazi Mamunur Rashid Bablu who received bullet injury during the clash, was first admitted at the Laxmipur Sadar Hospital. But when his condition deteriorated he was shifted to Noakhali Sadar Hospital. Other injured BCL men were taken to different clinics in the area for treatment. Admitting the incident, Officer in-Charge of Laxmipur Sadar Police Station Iqbal Hossain said, the police rushed to the scene on receiving the news and brought the situation under control.Meanwhile, in the morning, supporters of Kazi Mamunur Rashid Bablu put up barricade on the Dhaka-Laxmipur highway at Chandraganj Bazar for several hours. As a result traffic jam on both sides of the highway was created causing sufferings to the passengers. Later, police rushed to the spot and removed the barricade at about 1pm. A tense situation was prevailing in the area. Additional policemen have been deployed at several strategic points in the district to avert further untoward situation.
