One killed, scores hurt in several districts
A ward-level Awami League leader has been killed in Pabna and scores have been injured in several districts in violence over union parishad polls.
In Pabna, Ripon Hossain, 30, AL's secretary of ward-9 in Goyeshpur union of Pabna Sadar upazila, was hacked to death in front of his house in Horinarayanpur village yesterday.
Sheikh Russell Ali Masud, organising secretary of Pabna Sadar upazila AL, told The Daily Star that Ripon, a supporter of AL chairman candidate in Goyeshpur union, which goes to the polls on June 4, could have been killed over election rivalry.
However, Abdullah Al Hasan, officer-in-charge of Pabna Sadar Police Station, said men of Shafikul Islam of Horinarayanpur hacked him over previous enmity.
Shafikul was found guilty of stealing a goat in a village arbitration led by Ripon, according to locals and police.
Shafikul and his father Abdul Aziz were caught.
This is the second AL leader murder in the union in a week.
On May 22, Mohammad Abdur Rahim, AL's general secretary of ward-3 in the same union, was shot dead in Poyda village over UP polls dispute.
In Cox's Bazar, at least 10 people of the Hindu community were seriously injured in an attack allegedly carried out by a defeated union parishad member candidate in Cox's Bazar Sadar upazila.
Among the 10, Tilak Ghosh, 28, who suffered critical injuries, had been admitted to Cox's Bazar Sadar Hospital.
According to eyewitnesses, supporters of Abul Hossain, a member aspirant in ward-9 of Khurushkul union who lost the UP election to Makhon Chandra Dey, allegedly carried out the attack in Dakkhin Hindupara on Saturday night, after the election results were announced.
Equipped with sticks, sharp weapons and firearms, some 100 supporters of Abul allegedly ransacked around 50 houses, business establishments and a temple.
The attackers also tried to assault the women of the community but the situation was brought under control when law enforcers rushed to the spot.
Additional police and members of Rab and BGB were deployed in the area to fend off further trouble.
Three people involved in the attack were arrested by police, said Aslam Hossain, officer-in-charge of Cox's Bazar Model Police Station.
Protesting the incident, district Puja Udjapon Committee and Bangladesh Hindu-Buddhist-Christian Unity Council of Cox's Bazar unit held an emergency meeting yesterday.
They issued a 24-hour ultimatum to the authorities concerned to arrest the attackers, otherwise they would lay siege to the deputy commissioner's office tomorrow.
In Laxmipur, 30 people were wounded in a post polls clash between the supporters of two member candidates in Sadar upazila on Saturday night, reports UNB.
In Mymensingh, at least 15 people were hurt when the followers of two chairman candidates got locked in a clash over the UP polls at Laxmikura Bazar of Haluaghat upazila on Saturday night.
On information, police went to the spot and arrested three people for their alleged involvement in the clash.
AL chairman candidate in Goaltola UP and his men allegedly vandalised an election camp of BNP's chairman candidate at Goatola Bazar of Dhobaura upazila yesterday. The union will go to the polls on June 4.
Meanwhile, a case was filed against 44 named and unnamed people in a case filed with Dewanganj Police Station in Jamalpur in connection with polls-related violence in Bahadurabad on Saturday night. Four people were killed in the district on Saturday.
In Feni, police recovered 160 crude bombs from Ramchandrapur village of Sonagazi upazila and arrested a man in this connection.
Election to Motiganj union is scheduled to be held on June 4.
(Correspondents from Pabna, Cox's Bazar, Mymensingh and Feni contributed to the report.)
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