C'nawabganj Clashes
158 BNP men sued, many flee homes
A case has been filed against 158 BNP supporters last night on charges of murder, beating, looting, arson and bomb explosion during the clashes with rival AL men on the previous day.
Of the accused, 118 were named while 40 others remained unidentified. Ashraful Alam, chairman of Nayalabanga union parishad, also president of the union unit BNP, was among the accused.
Shariful Islam, brother of slain Nairul Islam filed the case at around 10:00pm, said ASI Abdul Quddus, duty officer at Shibganj police station.
After the clashes, supporters of BNP fled the area to evade arrest, said locals and police.
Earlier, Nairul, 45, was killed and 20 others were injured in fierce clashes between the local supporters of ruling Awami League and BNP at four villages of Shibganj and Sadar upazilas on Sunday.
Both groups vandalised, looted and set more than 50 houses on fire. They also exploded hand made bombs during the clashes.
Police and villagers said, there had been a long-standing conflict between Ashraful Haque, chairman of Nayalabanga union parishad, also a local BNP leader and Moshtaqul Alam Pintu, local AL leader over establishing supremacy in the area.
Supporters of Ashraf group attacked the houses of Pintu group of Babupur in Shibganj upazila and adjacent Sonapur village in Sadar upazila with hand made bombs, sharp weapons and sticks at around 9:00am. They also vandalised a few houses.
Nairul of Shibganj upazila was injured seriously. He succumbed to his injuries on his way to Chapainawabganj Sadar Hospital at around 1:00pm.
Hearing the news, supporters of Pintu group went to Sundarpur, Miratuli, Birhampur and Sonapur and attacked the houses of Ashraf group with sharp weapons, sticks and hand made bombs.
They also vandalised, looted and then set at least 50 houses on fire.
During the clash, at least twenty people were injured.
Villagers said, both the groups were led by influential people who had strong backing from the two major political parties.
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