5 hurt as AL factions in Durgapur clash again

Five local leaders and activists of Awami League (AL) were injured as two factions of Durgapur upazila AL engaged in a clash inside Rajshahi Circuit House compound yesterday.
Earlier Durgapur upazila administration enforced Section 144 forbidding all gatherings in the upazila after a two-hour long clash between two groups of AL left 15 people including two former UP chairmen injured at the upazila headquarters on Sunday afternoon.
Local lawmaker Abdul Wadud Dara arranged a meeting for reconciliation between the feuding groups at the circuit house but minutes after the meeting began at 1:00pm, upazila chairman Abdul Mazid beat up Joynagar union AL President Benu, also a follower of former upazila Sainik League President Abdul Latif, in presence of the lawmaker.
Mazid's men also beat up a few other supporters of Latif including upazila AL Vice President Abdul Mannan, General Secretary Tofazzal Hossain, Azahar Ali and Rabiul Islam.
The groups continued scuffle until 2:00pm when Mazid's men drove away Latif's supporters from the area.
Earlier on Sunday afternoon, 15 people were injured and Latif's house was damaged at Durgapur upazila headquarters as the two groups engaged in a two-hour long clash following feud over taking lease of four government ponds at Gopinathpur in Pananagar union.