Pre-UP poll clashes leave 23 hurt in Patuakhali

At least 23 people were injured in clashes over upcoming union parishad (UP) elections slated for March 22 in Baufal and Dashmina upazilas of the district in the last two days.

Of them, four were sent to Barisal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital with serious injuries.

The injured include three siblings Sumon, 25, Noman, 22, and Sakib, 30, of Dhulia village in Baufal upazila, and Md Sohel, 18, of Arojbegi village in Dashmina upazila.

Police and locals said around 11:00am yesterday, a group of Awami League men attacked the three siblings, supporters of BNP-nominated Dhulia UP chairman candidate Abdul Jabbar, leaving them seriously injured in Fultala Kheyaghat area in Baufal upazila when they were returning home from nearby Kalishuri Bazar. The injured were later rushed to the hospital.

"When we reached the area, a gang of 20/25, led by AL backed UP chairman candidate Abdur Rob hacked us," said Sumon, one of the injured.

In Dashmina upazila, at least 20 people were injured in a clash between two factions of AL in the upazila town on Monday night.

At least eight business establishments were ransacked during the incident, said police.

The clash took place when the supporters of AL nominated chairman candidate Goutan Roy and AL rival candidate for Dashmina UP tried to gather in front of the upazila party office.

On information, police rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control, said Additional Superintendent of Police Md Foyez Ahmed.

In Jessore, criminals vandalised the house of BNP nominated UP chairman candidate SM Moshiur Rahman in Monirampur upazila of the district yesterday, reports our Benapole correspondent.

Police and locals said a gang allegedly led by rival candidate Moniruzzaman Monir's younger brother attacked the residence of Moshiur Rahman, incumbent chairman of Shyamkur Union Parishad in the upazila, as he along with his supporters were busy filing up nomination paper for the upcoming UP polls.

Later, Moshiur informed the upazila nirbahi officer and Monirampur police about the matter.