30 injured as Madaripur BCLfactions clash

At least 30 people were injured as two factions of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) clashed on Friday over establishing supremacy in Sadar upazila of Madaripur.

The injured include five female students of Government Nazimuddin College and eight policemen. Six people were hit by rubber bullets, of whom one was shifted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital for better treatment.

Madaripur Sadar Police Station Sub-Inspector Prodip Biswas yesterday filed a case accusing 500 unidentified people with the police station.

Locals said Madaripur unit BCL Organising Secretary Sajib Sarder and his supporters were talking in front of Chowdhury Clinic on Friday about the upcoming Jubo League conference when Matinur Rahman and Monjur Ali and their supporters attacked Sajib and his supporters and left the place.

Later, supporters of both groups locked in a clash in College Gate area.

Police rushed to the spot and fired 50 rounds of rubber bullets and teargas shells. The injured were taken to Madaripur Sadar Hospital and different clinics.

“I don't know why they attacked us. We were discussing about the conference of Jubo League, which will be held on tomorrow [Saturday], when Matinur and Monjur, with their supporters, attacked us suddenly,” Sajib said.

Mobile phones of Matinur and Monjur were found switched off when this correspondent tried to contact them several times.

“Activists of BCL had been passing very busy time for the last three days preparing for the Jubo League conference today [Saturday]. I have no idea about this clash,” Madaripur unit BCL President Jahid Hasan said yesterday.