Jubo League leader killed, 16 hurt in AL infighting in 2 dists

A woman shows all signs of despair as her house at Gopalpur village in Kaliganj upazila under Jhenidah district lies badly damaged after a serious clash between two local factions of ruling Awami league yesterday. PHOTO: STAR

Factional clashes among the men of ruling Awami league (AL) left one killed and 16 others injured in Lalmonirhat and Satkhira districts in last two days.  
In Kaliganj upazila of Jhenidah district, infighting between the activists of the same party left around a hundred houses vandalised yesterday.
A Jubo League leader was killed and six AL men were badly injured as two groups of the ruling party men locked in a clash over supplying sand to a construction site on Saptana Road in Lalmonirhat town Wednesday night, reports our Lalmonirhat correspondent.
Left injured in the incident, seven people were admitted to Lalmonirhat Sadar Hospital and later referred to Rangpur Medical College Hospital where Jubo League leader Kafidul Islam, 37, died yesterday morning, police and family members said.
Kafidul Islam, son of Ahad Ali, resident at New Colony para in the town, was organizing secretary of the municipality's 8 No ward unit of Jubo League.
The injured are Sadar upazila Chhatra League Secretary Shamim Hossain, Jubo League activists Rakib Hossain and Manu Miah, AL activist Rakidul Islam, Chhatra League activists Selim Hossain and Baloram Chandra Saha, all residents in the town.
Police and locals said a clash occurred between two groups -- one led by Sadar upazila AL General Secretary Zahurul Haque Mamun and the other led by district AL Publicity Secretary Sumon Khan over supplying sand to the site for Nursing Institute Construction site beside the Sadar hospital in the town.
Sumon Khan's men first attacked Mamun's group, they said.
The incident left Jubo League leader Kafidul Islam, a supporter of Mamun group, killed and four others of the same group injured. Two injured people are the supporters of Sumon group, AL men said.
Following the bloody clash, the construction work of the nursing institute was kept suspended.
Confirming the incident, Lalmonirhat Sadar Police Station OC Mahfuzur Rahman said additional police were deployed at different points in the town to avert further clashes.
Our Jhenidah Correspondent reports: Around 100 houses were vandalised and valuables worth around Tk one crore looted as two groups of AL men locked in a factional clash over establishing supremacy at Gopalpur village under Kaliganj upazila of the district yesterday morning.
There had been a long standing conflict between 3 No Gopalpur ward AL president Shariful Islam and the same ward AL secretary Malek Mollah, locals and police said.
Equipped with axes and iron bars the supporters of Malek Mollah attacked the supporters of Shariful Islam and vandalised around 100 houses of 45 families. The attacked families left the house.
Malek Molla and Shariful Islam are adherents of present AL lawmaker Anwarul Azim Anar and former AL lawmaker Abdul Mannan respectively.
"As the supporters of Malek Mollah started vandalising our houses, we left the place. They looted our valuables and damaged freeze and furniture," said Shamser Ali, an elderly person of the village.  
Shahidul Islam, chairman of Jamal union parishad, also an AL leader, said, "Malek Mollah is the uncle of Shariful. Earlier on several occasions, we tried several times to solve the conflict but to no effect."
Anwar Hossain, officer in charge of Kaliganj police station, said, "A faction of local AL attacked the houses of another group and vandalised houses in the area. Now the situation is under control."
UNB adds from Satkhira: At least 10 people were injured, two with bullets, in a clash between two rival groups of Awami League at Gadaipur in Ashashuni upazila under the district on Wednesday.
Shahnewaz Dalim, chairman of Khazra union parishad, and Ruhul Kuddus Molla, former chairman of the union, had been at loggerheads over establishing supremacy in the area, said Ahsan Habib, officer in charge of Ashashuni Police Station.
Supporters of Dalim beat Hossain Molla, a supporter of Ruhul Kuddus, when he was returning home on Tuesday evening, leaving him critically injured.
As the news spread, supporters of Ruhul Kuddus confined Dalim and his supporters to his home in the night.
At one stage, the supporters of Dalim opened fire on the supporters of Ruhul Kuddus and hurled bombs, leaving 10 people injured.
A chase and counter-chase took place during the incident.
At least 15 bombs were exploded in the area at that time.
The injured were taken to Ashashuni Upazila Health Complex while the two people with bullet injuries were rushed to Khulna Medical College Hospital.
Informed, police rushed in and brought the situation under control.
Additional police have been deployed to avert further trouble.