Rival AL groups clash over tender in Gournadi

At least 10 people, including a policeman, were injured in a clash between two factions of ruling Awami League over sharing of tender for road repair work in Mahilara union of Gournadi upazila beside Barisal-Dhaka highway yesterday.

Local union parishad office, a college, bus counters and shops were also ransacked during the incident.

The injured, including Mojibul Huq, sub-inspector of Gournadi Police Station, were admitted to the upazila health complex.

Witnesses said Saikat Guha Piklu, chairman of Mahilara Union Parishad, and an activist of the union unit of Jubo League, tried to get a Tk 4 crore work for repairing a road stretching from Mahilara via Sharikal to Nalchira.

On the other hand, Harisur Rahman Haris, mayor of Gournadi municipality, and secretary of the upazila unit of AL, also wanted to do the tender work.

Over the issue, Akbar Hossain Faruk, former president of the upazila unit of BCL, and elder brother of Haris and Kabir Hossain, an activist of upazila AL, were assaulted allegedly by the men of Piklu at the union parishad in the morning.

The attackers also damaged their motorbike and took away Tk two lakh from them, alleged Haris.

Being informed, over 200 supporters of Haris rushed to the spot, blasted cocktails and vandalised the union parishad office, a degree college, three bus counters and 10 shops at 1:10pm.

At least 10 people, including the SI, were also injured in the arrack.

Contacted, Piklu blamed the men of Haris for the attack.

On information, the law enforcers rushed to the spot and fired blank shots to bring the situation under control, said police.

Members of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) arrested Pintu Guha, brother of Piklu, along with a pistol in connection with the incident, said Sazzad Hossain, officer-in-charge of the police station.

Additional police personnel have been deployed in the area to avert any untoward incident, said the OC.