20 including 5 cops hurt in AL infighting

At least 20 people, including five policemen, were injured in a clash between two rival groups of Awami League in Faridganj upazila of the district yesterday.

Police fired 90 gun shots and lobbed tear gas canisters to bring the situation under control, said Harun-or-Rashid Chowdhury, officer-in-charge of Faridganj Police Station.

The incident continued for about one hour from 11:00am. A tense situation has been prevailing in the area.

Some 10 seriously injured  people, including district council member Saiful Islam, district Chhatra League former vice president Mahbubur Rahman and Jubo Leaguee leader Alam Babu, were admitted to the upazila health complex and Chandpur Sadar Hospital.

Locals said two groups of AL engaged in clash centering the extended meeting of the upazila AL over the selection of candidates for the upcoming upazila parishad elections.  Both sides were locked in chase and counter chase and exchanged brickbats.

Police opened fire to bring the situation under control. The Pajero jeep of former lawmaker Shamsul Haque Bhuiyan was also badly damaged during the incident.

Upazila AL president Abul Khair Patwari alleged that the supporters of upazila AL general secretary and sitting upazila parishad chairman Abu Sahed Sarker launched the attack as they sensed that Sarker will not be nominated for contesting in the chairman post this time.

Abu Sahed Sarker denied the allegation and said though he called the meeting, he did not attend it as per the directive of the district AL. He said he did not know who made the attack.

Faridganj municipality Mayor Mahfuzul Haque said the extended meeting was called defying the district committee's ban which caused the disturbance.   After the clash, the extended meeting was foiled.