AL rivals clash ahead of Aug 15 mourning day in Patuakhali
At least 10 people were injured in Dashmina upazila on Friday as a group of Awami League (AL) men tore intra-party rivals' banners set ahead of the August 15 National Mourning Day marking martyrdom of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Earlier on Thursday, a group in Galachipa town tore banners of the same faction of local AL.
A tense situation is prevailing between two rival groups of the ruling party in the two upazilas under Patuakhali district following the incidents.
A group of AL men led by advocate Abdul Khaleq, vice-president of Dashmina upazila unit of AL, went to Arojbegi Bazar in the upazila on Thursday noon to set banners marking the condolence day, said party men, locals and police.
'Galachiapa-Dashmina Awami Oikyo Parishad and National Mourning Day Observation Committee of Galachipa unit jointly prepared the banners.
When the AL activists were setting the banners some 12/14 intra-party rivals led by Zakir Hossen Bhutto and Kazi Azad attacked them and tore the banners, said locals and party activists. At least 10 people were injured as the attackers beat them with sticks.
Of the injured, Abdul Khaleq, vice president of Dashmina upazila AL, Al leader Nasir Uddin and Pobitra Shil, Jubo league leader Jamal Hossen, secretary of Dashmina upazila unit of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) Kazi Shakil, BCL activists Samiron and Jahir took treatment at different health centres and clinics including Dashmina upazila health complex.
Abdul Khaleq said the attackers are men of Golam Maula Roni, lawmaker from Patuakhali-3 (Galachipa-Dashmina).
Galachipa-Dashmina Awami Oikyo Parishad and Galachipa unit of National Mourning Day Observation Committee took a day-long programme including milad mahfil, discussion, blood donation and tree plantation marking the August 15 Mourning Day and former lawmaker from the same constituency AKM Jahangir Hossain was scheduled to attend there as the chief guest, Khaleq added.
Intra-party rivals also tore the banners of the same faction at different places in Galachipa upazila town on Thursday and Tofazzel Hossain Montu, convener of Galachipa unit of National Condolence Day Observation Committee, filed a GD with Galachipa police station in this regard.
Habibur Rahman, OC of Dashmina police station, said, "I heard the news of an attack at Arojbegi Bazar but nobody is yet to submit any complaint in this regard. We will take lawful action if anybody files a case."
When contacted, Zakir Hossen Bhutto, one of the alleged attackers in Dashmina upazila, said, "There is no organisation named 'Galachipa-Dashmina Awami Oikyo Parishad' and all programmes should be observed according to the decision of upazila unit of the Awami League. We did not attack them. We only created obstacle to setting banners by them."
Kazi Azad, another alleged attacker, said, "I do not know who attacked and where."
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.
Comments