Benapole port: 20 hurt in attack on workers

At least 20 people were injured as miscreants hurled crude bombs on the workers of Benapole Land Port in Jashore's Sharsha upazila, triggering a clash over the responsibility of the port's cargo handling work yesterday.

Import and export between Bangladesh and India and the loading and unloading of goods were halted at the port after the clash broke out and lasted for around three hours till 1:30pm.

Wahiduzzaman Wahid, contractor of cargo handling workers and president of Sharsa Juba League, said a group of miscreants on two microbuses came in front of the main gate of the port around 10:30am and attacked the port workers' union office.

Loading and unloading inside the port stopped immediately as the miscreant started hurling bombs, he said.

Locals said the workers began fighting back immediately, adding that around 70 crude bombs went off during the clash and left at least 20 people, including workers and pedestrians, injured.

Wahid has been involved in a long-standing feud with Rasheduzzaman Rashed, a councillor of Benapole municipality to take over cargo handling work in the port, they said.

Benapole police and officials from Sharsha and Jhikargachha police stations, on information, rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control, said Jewel Imran, assistant superintendent of Jashore police.

"Rashed led the attack and police are currently looking for him. Three of the attackers have already been arrested."

This correspondent tried to contact Rashed for comments but found his mobile phone switched off.