Staff Reporter :At least three persons sustained injuries in a factional clash between the activists of Chhatra League and Jubo League, two associate organizations of the ruling Awami League, over tender submission of Dhaka Power Distribution Company [DPDC] at Bidyut Bhaban in city’s Abdul Gani Road on Tuesday.Of the injured, one was identified as Al Mamun Hossain, a contractor in profession and an activist of Jubo League, who received bullet injuries. The name of other could not be known immediately. Mamun was caught and taken to the police custody, police said.Bidyut Bhaban housed a number of offices of the Power Ministry and its subsidiary bodies, including DPDC.According to sources, the clash erupted when a group of Juba League came to submit two separate tenders of around Tk 76 lakh of DPDC when the other group of Chhatra League intercepted them. The tender have two parts: one for the construction of boundary wall at the cost of Tk 43 lakh at DPDC Tejgaon office. Another was for civil works at the office of Madartek Substation at a cost of Tk 33 lakh.The rival groups chased each other which continued for about half an hour. Several crude bombs were also hurled at a location near the Transport Pool Building and at Secretariat’s gate No: 5. Panic created among the people and staff of the offices in the area when both the groups started firing bullets from automatic firearms and also blasted several crude bombs. At one stage, they also vandalized several vehicles those were parked in front of Bidyut Bhaban. Of the damaged vehicles, one was the official car of Additional Secretary of Power Division Dr Ahmed Kaikuas. The windows of the car were smashed as hit by bullets. Several people alleged that police and other security agency personnel deployed nearby did not come to the spot during the exchange of gunfight. Police came to the spot after the crude bombs were exploded. However, police could not nab others involved with the clash, said Mamun Farazi, Sub-Inspector of Shahbagh Police Station. Dhaka Medical College and Hospital officials said they received a person with injury in head from the incident. Additional Deputy Commissioner of Ramna Zone of Dhaka Metropolitan Police Md Shafiquzzaman said that additional police personnel have been deployed in the area to avert any untoward situation as the contractors submit tenders almost each working day. Police are investigation the matter. The law enforcers are also trying to arrest the miscreants, the ADC said.
