BCL factions clash over LGED tender in Barisal

Two people were injured as activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), student front of ruling Awami League, got locked in a factional clash over dropping of tender and distribution works worth Tk 3.5 crore under Local Government Engineering Department in Barisal Sadar upazila yesterday noon.
Fariduddin, sub-assistant engineer of LGED, and member-secretary of the tender committee, said tenders under four groups worth Tk 3.33 crore were called for reconstruction of four community primary schools at Char Kyotia, Mollar Hawla, Pashurikathi and Dakkhin Panbaria of Barisal Sadar upazila and supplying furniture there.
Tenders under another group worth Tk 18 lakh were called to repair six government and registered non-government primary schools in the upazila and Tuesday 1:00pm was the deadline for dropping tender documents, he said.
Supporters of Moin Tushar, joint convener BM College unit of BCL, and Jasimuddin, president of city unit of BCL, got locked in a clash at the upazila parishad office complex in C and B Road area of Barisal city at about 12:45am, witnesses said.
During the incident, Sayed of Tushar group, and another unidentified contractor who came to drop tender, were injured due to beating.
The clash occurred as Moin Tushar dropped tender without any 'negotiation' with the intra-party rivals, BCL activists said.
Called by the authority, police and Rapid Action Battalion brought the situation under control at around 12:30pm.
Twenty tender forms were dropped for works under the five groups, said Raza Mia, upazila nirbahi officer of Barisal Sadar.
Development agencies like WB, ADB, IDA, DFID, EU, AUSAID, JICA, CIDA and SIDA provide fund for such works under Phase-3 of Primary Education Development Programme, said Hafizur Rahman, Barisal Sadar upazila engineer.
Police have been deployed to maintain law and order in the area, said Sakhawat Hossain, officer in charge of Kotwali police station.
Moin Tushar and Jasimuddin could not be contacted for their comments.