25 injured in Kushtia AL factional clash ‘over FB post on Mamunul’
At least 25 people were injured in a clash between two groups of ruling Awami League yesterday in Kushtia's Sadar upazila over allegedly posting statuses on Facebook about Hefajat-e-Islam leader Mamunul Haque.
According to locals, there was a longstanding dispute between Azizul Haque, local ward AL president, and former president Ahsan Sardar.
Shawkat Kabir, officer-in-charge (OC) of Kushtia Sadar Police Station said the groups' race to establish supremacy is the main reason behind the clash. Currently the situation is under control, he said.
He said around 25 people of both groups were injured in the clash, of whom eight are undergoing treatment.
"Additional police have been deployed in the area. An operation has been launched to nab those involved in the clash," he added.
Azizul's supporter Shariful Islam, president of the Ziarkhi Union Swechchhasebak League, recently posted a status on Facebook against Hefajat leader Mamunul, locals told our Kushtia correspondent.
One of Ahsan Sardar's supporters posted a comment in Mamunul's favour on that post and some others made derogatory comments about Shariful, locals said.
Centring this exchange, both groups clashed in Ziarkhi area this morning and hurled brick chips at each other.
During the clash, several houses of both groups were vandalised and looted, said witnesses.
One of the injured, Saidul (40), has been sent to Dhaka for treatment while four more injured have been admitted to the 250-bed Kushtia General Hospital, said locals.
Azizul Haque said Ahsan Sardar's supporters clashed with his supporters after taking Hefajat leader Mamunul's side. Sardar, on the other hand, alleged that Azizul's supporters attacked his supporters and their houses, labelling them as Hefajat men.
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