Staff Reporter :
Factional clashes among the activists of ruling Awami League and its associate organizations, including Awami Jubo League and Bangladesh Chhatra League, have left at least one person killed and 50 others injured in different parts of the country on Monday.
Of the incidents, the agitated Jubo League men torched the houses of Upazila Chhatra League president Abdur Rahim Sardar and his father in-law at Sharsha in Jessore.
Besides, six received bullet injuries in Araihajar upazila of Narayanganj while the party high-ups postponed a meeting of AL Chatmohar Upzila Unit following a violent clash between two rival groups of ruling party, according to police and local correspondents.
At least 12 AL activists received injuries, of them six with bullets, in a factional clash in Araihajar upazila of Narayanganj in the morning.
Two groups of ruling party, wielding sharp weapons and firearms, attacked each other in Purbakandi area around 8:30am, leaving six activists from both the factions injured.
Alamgir Hossain, Officer-in-Charge of Araihajar Police Station said, “The reason behind the clash might be a long standing rivalry between Joy Ram Das and Madhu Ram Das of the village.”
“The clash erupted when local AL leader and Kalaparhria Upazila Chairman Saiful Islam Swapan and AL general secretary of Union Unit Dalim supported Joy and Madhu respectively,” the police official said.
Six people who received bullet injuries were admitted to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital [DMCH] in a critical condition while others were admitted to Araihajar Upazila Health Complex.
In another incident, Mohammad Tozamuddin, 35, assistant organising secretary of Sharsha upazila Jubo League., who received fatal injuries in an attack in Jessore district on Saturday night, died at DMCH on Monday morning.
Police and witnesses said Tozamuddin was first admitted to a local clinic before being shifted to the DMCH.
As the death news spread, angry Jubo League men along with local people set ablaze the houses of Sharsha upazila Chhatra League president Abdur Rahim Sardar, his father in-law and two other of his relatives.
Sharsha upazila unit AL joint secretary Ibrahim Khalil said that four houses including the residence of Abdur Rahim were set ablaze after the news of Tuzam’s death spread. “I heard that Jubo League supporters also torched Rahim and his three relatives’ houses,” the AL leader said.
Being informed, two fire fighting units from Sharsha and Jhikorgacha rushed to the spot but the angry activists kept the road blocked.
Locals and witnesses said at least five people were injured in the fire incident.
Officer-in Charge of Sharsha police station Shahidar Rahman, however, claimed that no causalities were reported in the incident of arson.
The OC said that Juba League men blocked Nabharan- Sathkhira road for an hour protesting the death.
Later, a huge contingent of police rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control. Additional police have been deployed to fend off further violence, he said.
On the other hand, at least 25 persons were injured in a factional clash between the two rival groups of AL in Chatmohar Upzila in the district of Pabna.
Following the clash, the party high-ups postponed the extended meeting of AL Upzila Unit.
The entire area turned into a battle field when both the factions equipped with lethal weapons attacked each other in front of the party office.
About 15 policemen were also injured during the fighting. Local MP and district AL leaders, who went to attend the meeting, had to remain trapped inside the government rest house at that time.
According to police, Upzila AL president Sakhawat Hossain and Upzila AL joint secretary and also Municipal Mayor Mirza Rezaul Karinm Dulal arranged two separate gatherings with their supporters yesterday morning.
Later, they went to government rest house in two separate processions at around 1:00pm. Both of the groups started chanting slogans and counter slogans on the spot.
At one stage, the supporters of both leaders were locked in an altercation, which ultimately ignited a street fight between the two rival groups. They started pelting stones, throwing chairs and other substances against each other.
Police charged baton indiscriminately to disperse the infighters. At least, 30 persons, including 15 policemen, were injured during the chase and counter chase.
The local lawmaker and other district unit leaders were confined inside the rest house at that time. Later, the AL district leaders postponed the meeting and left the scene under heavy police protection.
