Sherpur Jamaat leader dies after clash with BNP men

A Jamaat leader, reportedly injured in a clash with BNP activists, died at Mymensingh Medical College Hospital around 9:45 pm on Wednesday night.

The deceased has been identified as Maulana Md Rezaul Karim, 42, secretary of Jamaat’s Sreebordi upazila unit in Sherpur, said Nuruzzaman Badal, Jamaat candidate from Sherpur-3 (Jhenaigati-Sreebordi).

Rezaul sustained critical injuries along with some 50 Jamaat activists and supporters in clashes with BNP men this afternoon.

Rezaul and two others -- Aminul Islam and Maulana Tahirul Islam -- were referred to MMCH where Rezaul died. Maulana Tahirul was later sent to Dhaka, said Nuruzzaman.

The clash broke out over seating arrangements at a programme around 3:00pm at the Jhenaigati Upazila Mini Stadium ground, leaving at least 65 people injured, locals and witnesses said.

They said the upazila administration organised the programme, where candidates for the Sherpur-3 constituency were invited to present their electoral manifestos before voters.

Jhenaigati UNO Ashraful Alam Rasel was expected to preside over the event.

However, supporters of the BNP- and Jamaat-nominated candidates got into an altercation over sitting in the front row, triggering the clash.

Of the injured, 45 were taken to the Jhenaigati Upazila Health Complex, where 25 were admitted and 20 received primary treatment, said physician Arup Saha.

Another 20 injured were admitted to Sherpur General Hospital, confirmed medical assistant Md Yasin Hossain.

Several motorcycles and over 100 chairs were vandalised during the clash, witnesses said.

In a Facebook post, Nuruzzaman alleged that BNP supporters arrived late and, following an argument and scuffle over chairs, attacked Jamaat supporters with “local weapons”.

He claimed more than 50 Jamaat supporters were injured.

BNP candidate for Sherpur-3 Mahmudul Haque Rubel and Nuruzzaman made counter allegations against each other’s supporters over the violence.

In a press release issued around evening soon after the clash, BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said the 41-member Sherpur district BNP convening committee, led by Convener Advocate Sirajul Islam and Member Secretary ABM  Mamunur Rashid Palash, has been suspended until further notice.

Sherpur Superintendent of Police Md Kamrul Islam said security personnel rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control. Additional law enforcers were deployed in the area to prevent further violence, he said.

No case was filed in this connection till the filing of the report early today.

Meanwhile, protesting the death, students of Dhaka University and Jagannath University brought out separate processions on their campuses early today.

At Dhaka University, a group of students marched through the campus. A couple of Ducsu members, including VP Md Abu Shadik, were seen in the procession.

At Jagannath University, around 100 students brought out a procession from the main gate around 12:45am and marched around the campus.

Participants were seen chanting slogans against the BNP.