Chaos, clash mark Cox's Bazar BNP confce: 60 injured
BNP activists, aggrieved at the announcement of the name of new district committee general secretary, vent their wrath on leaders at the council venue in Cox's Bazar Stadium on Friday night.Photo: STAR
At least 60 leaders and activists, including Joint Secretary General of BNP central committee Selima Rahman and former state minister for communications Salahuddin Ahmed, were injured in a clash at the conference of Cox's Bazar district unit at local stadium on Friday night.
Lawmaker from Cox's Bazar--1 constituency Hasina Ahmed and lawmaker from Cox's Bazar-3 constituency Lutfar Rahman Kajal are also among the injured.
Party sources said the trouble began while the chief guest was announcing the committee of the district unit, 'ignoring' the views of the councilors.
Thirty-two leaders spoke at the conference with district BNP Convener and former lawmaker Shahjahan Chowdhury in the chair.
After a brief speech, chief guest Selima Rahman started announcing the names of the office-bearers at around 9:30pm. She first announced the names of former MP and present convener of the district committee Shahjahan Chowdhury and ATM Nurul Bashar as president and vice-president of the new committee. The leaders and activists present at the conference accepted the two as their leaders.
But when Selima announced the name of advocate Shamim Ara Swapna as general secretary of the unit some leaders and activists objected to it and started throwing chairs at the leaders sitting on the dais.
At this stage, the BNP men got divided into two groups and locked in a clash. They chased each other and damaged chairs and tables at the conference venue.
Police reached the spot at 10:00pm, dispersed the clashing groups and brought the situation under control.
Later, a press release signed by Shahjahan Chowdhury was released. The release mentioned the names of new office-bearers -- Shahjahan Chowdhury, president, ATM Nurul Bashar Chowdhury, vice president, advocate Shamim Ara Swapna, general secretary, Rafiqul Huda Chowdhury and advocate Nurul Alam, assistant general secretaries, and Jamil Ibrahim Chowdhury, organising secretary.
On November 17, the council of BNP Chittagong city unit was postponed amid intra-party clashes.
Our Staff Correspondent from Sylhet adds: The rival factions of Habiganj district BNP could not hold their councils yesterday as local administration imposed Section 144 in the town, apprehending deterioration of the law and order situation.
District BNP Convener Syed Mohammad Faisal led faction and joint conveners Minhaj Uddin Chowdhury and Mizanur Rahman Chowdhury-led faction were earlier announced to hold the district unit conference at Shirishtala in the town at the same time.
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