72 hurt, 25 houses vandalised in pre-poll clashes in 3 dists
Safazuddin Sarker and Bhutto Sarker, injured allegedly by the men of incumbent chairman of Nazarpur union parishad in Narsingdi Sadar upazila yesterday, undergo treatment at Narsingdi Sadar Hospital.Photo: STAR
At least 72 people were injured and 25 houses vandalised during clashes between the supporters of the prospective candidates in the upcoming elections to union parishads in Shariatpur, Narsingdi and Madaripur districts yesterday. In Shariatpur, the supporters of two probable chairmen candidates clashed in Chitolia Union of Sadar upazila in the morning, leaving at least 45 people from both sides injured, reports our Madaripur correspondent. Rabiul Alam, officer-in-charge of Shariatpur Sadar Police Station, said the clash ensued following an altercation between the supporters Abdus Salam, a member of Awami League district unit, and Sirajul Haque Mollah, a local BNP leader and prospective candidate for the post of chairman of Chitolia Union Parishad, at around 10:00am. Salam's men equipped with lethal weapons first attacked the houses of their rivals, prompting them to retaliate. At least 25 houses were vandalised during the clash. Of the injured, 31 were admitted to Shariatpur Sadar Hospital while the rest given first aid. Sadar hospital later referred two of the injured to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital as their condition deteriorated. Additional police and Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) personnel have been in the union to avert any further incident. According to a correspondent from Narsingdi, the supporters of a prospective chairman candidate in the upcoming election to Nazarpur Union Parishad under Sadar upazila injured two of their rivals in the morning. The incident occurred at Kalai Gobindapur Natun Bazar in remote char area. Probable chairman candidate Jalal Uddin Sarker along with some of his supporters went to Kalai Gobindapur Natun Bazar at around 10:00am to meet the local people and seek their blessings. Eight to ten youths led by Jebin Gazi, son of sitting chairman of the union Shafiuzzaman Gazi, obstructed them and beat up one of his supporters named Bhutto Sarker. As Jalal Sarker's brother Safazuddin Sarker rushed to the spot, the youths hit him with sharp weapons, leaving him seriously injured. They also looted a shop at the bazar. The youths left the scene, firing blank shots. Safazuddin Sarker and Bhutto Sarker are undergoing treatment at Narsingdi Sadar Hospital. A case was filed with Narsingdi Sadar Model Police Station in the afternoon. On Thursday, at least 20 people were injured as the supporters of two prospective chairman candidates equipped with three-pointed spears clashed at Anantarampur village under Chardighaldi Union of Narsingdi Sadar upazila. In Magura, at least 25 people were injured as the supporters of two probable UP member candidates clashed at Kalinagar village in Sripur upazila, reports UNB. The clash ensued following an altercation between the supporters Gafur and Habibur Rahman over the upcoming polls to Amalsar Union Parishad. At least four houses and one shop were ransacked and looted during the clash. The injured were admitted to Sripur and Magura hospitals.
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