Five hurt as docs of rival panels clash

One of the injured during yesterday's clash at Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital being taken for treatment. Photo: STARStaff Correspondent, Sylhet

At least five people, including a medical officer of Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical college Hospital, received injuries as a rival faction of the ruling party-backed physicians with the help of Chhatra League activists attacked them during BMA Sylhet chapter election yesterday.

Critically injured medical officer Dr Sudarshan was admitted to Osmani medical college Hospital while the rest were given first aid.

Two panels of the ruling party backed physicians-- Dr AZ Mahbub and Dr Moynul led panel and Dr Rokan and Dr Morshed led panel--were in the election race.

Sylhet BMA sources said when the voting was going in the library room of Osmani Medical College at around 10;00am, a group of physicians belonging to Dr Rokan and Dr Morshed panel along with some activists of the BCL medical college unit entered the room.

They ousted four polling agents, including senior physician Dr Abdul Wahid of Mahbub-Moynul panel, from the room and took control of it.

As Dr Sudarshan, a candidate from MahbubMoynul panel, was distributing leaflets of their panel, Dr Ehtesham Ul Haque Chowdhury (Dulal), also assistant director of Osmani Medical College Hospital, asked him to leave the place. As he refused to leave the place, his rivals and BCL men attacked him with sticks, leaving him seriously injured.

Immediately after the incident, the leaders of MahbubMoynul panel boycotted the election protesting the attack allegedly led by Dr Ehtesham. They also lodged a written complaint with the election commission chief Prof Mosharraf Hossain.

Dr Sudarshan filed a case with Kotwali Police Station in the afternoon, accusing Dr Ehtesham and some other physicians of their rival factions of assaulting him.