1 killed in AL-JP clash in Bogra

A Jubo League leader was killed and 10 others injured as the activists of Awami League and its associate bodies clashed with Jatiya party men at Shantahar municipality in Bogra yesterday.

Locals said the incident happened over establishing supremacy in the area.

The dead, Shafiqul Islam, 36, of Adamdighi upazila, was the secretary of Shantahar union Jubo League and also a brother of Rashedul Islam Raja, AL-backed mayoral aspirant in the recent municipal polls.

Of the injured, Badsha, the deceased's brother, suffered critical injuries. He was undergoing treatment at Rajshahi Medical College and Hospital. The rest were admitted to Adamdighi and Naogaon Sadar Hospital.

Witnesses and locals said the clash followed a brawl between two groups of AL and JP over a trivial matter in the municipality after yesterday's Juma prayers.

At one point of the brawl, the JP men left the scene, came back with others and attacked the AL men with sticks and sharp weapons, critically injuring Shafiqul, Badsha and around nine others. The attackers fled immediately.

Shafiqul died afterwards.  

In retaliation, activists of the AL and its front organisations attacked and vandalised the houses, offices and other establishments of local JP men, said the witnesses.

Police fired tear shells and rubber bullets to disperse them. One JP supporter, Latif Mia, 32, was arrested earlier.

Police and locals said there has been a dispute between local battery-run auto-rickshaw drivers and conductors, backed by the AL, and the ones of CNG-run auto-rickshaws, supported by the JP, over establishing supremacy in the area.

On the other, there was a tension between the two groups as AL-backed Rashedul Islam Raja blames the local JP for his defeat in the municipal polls, saying he did not get their support properly. 

Contacted, Gaziur Rahman, Senior ASP (B Circle and Media) of Bogra, said the situation had been brought under control.

Quoting locals, he cited similar reasons for yesterday's clash.

Additional members of law enforcement agencies were deployed in the area.