10 hurt as BNP groups clash for govt land in Barisal

At least ten people including a journalist were injured as two rival BNP groups clashed at Agailjhara in presence of local party lawmaker Zahir Uddin Swapan on Friday over possession of a government land.

Police controlled the situation and arrested BNP activists Liton and Parvez from the spot and recovered four bombs from their possession. Their motorcycle was also seized.

Next day, as the rival groups filed two cases, police arrested four leaders and activists of Jubo Dal and Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) and the district administration demolished the "illegal" construction.

The arrested persons are Upazila Jubo Dal Secretary Shah M Baktiar, activists Firoz Ahmed Sentu and Kamrul Hassan Jewel and JCD leader and Agailjhara College Students Union Vice President Mohiuddin Pintu. They were sent to jail.

Sources there said that about a months ago, one BNP group led by Upazila Jubo Dal Organizing Secretary Abul Molla, activists Yusuf and Kalam Molla and JCD leader Mehdi Hassan Pintu started a construction on a government land at Agailjhara upazila headquarters. They had claimed that they leased the land.

Their opponent group led by Baktiar opposed it.

The construction was stopped following intervention by local BNP MP Swapan but the remained unresolved.

On Friday morning, Swapan went here to settle the matter.

At one stage, the two rival groups fell upon each other with sharp weapons.

Swapan took shelter in a nearby room for safety.

They assaulted Bhorer Kagoj correspondent Ferdous Molla, snatched his camera and broke it.

On information, police went there and quelled the violence.

The injured people include Azahar, Kalu Suttar, Nani Molla, Babul, Karim, and Jahangir. Four shops were also ransacked and looted.

Meanwhile, Reporters Unity units in Barisal and Agailjhara condemned the attack on the journalist.

AKM Ruman Howlader, brother-in-law of Baktiar and Abul Molla filed the cases, each accusing 15 BNP activists belonging to rival groups.