One killed in AL factional clash in Mathbaria

A man was killed and four others were injured in a factional clash of the ruling Awami League in Mathbaria upazila town yesterday.

The dead, Liton Pandit, 30, was a Jubo League activist.

Locals said some supporters of Mathbaria Upazila Parishad Chairman Ashrafur Rahman beat up Nazmul Ahsan alias Tuku, 50 in the morning. Nazmul is a follower of Rafiuddin Ahmed Ferdous, Mathbaria municipality mayor and also the upazila unit AL president.

After the incident, supporters of Ferdous hacked Ashrafur's man Al Amin.

Around 5:10pm, the two groups, equipped with sharp weapons, attacked each other. They also exchanged bullets.

At one stage, Liton was hit by bullets. Four people of both the groups were also wounded during the clash. Liton, who was a supporter of Ashrafur, was rushed to Mathbaria Upazila Health Complex where doctors declared him dead. 

Three of the injured were sent to Barisal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital as their condition was critical.

Additional police have been deployed in Mathbaria upazila town to fend off further trouble, said Walid Hossain, superintendent of police in Pirojpur.

This correspondent could not contact Ashrafur and Ferdous for their comments as they did not receive calls.

On 2 July, a clash occurred between the two groups of Chhatra League activists, who are followers of Ashrafur and Ferdous, over establishing supremacy in the upazila, locals said.

They said this led to yesterday's clash.