495 BNP men sued over Patuakhali violence

A total of 495 BNP leaders and activists were made accused in two cases filed over the clash between BNP and Awami League activists in Patuakhali town on Saturday.

Forty-five BNP leaders and activists were named as accused in the cases, said police.

Chhatra League's district unit Assistant Secretary Raihan Hossain on Saturday night filed one of the cases naming 29 people and 200 other unidentified BNP men.

Last morning, district Jubo League Organising Secretary Nasir Uddin filed the other case against 16 named BNP leaders and activists and 250 more unidentified BNP men.

Confirming the matter, Patuakhali Sadar Police Station Officer-in-Charge Moniruzzaman said legal action would be taken after an investigation of the cases.

The BNP was supposed to hold a public rally in front of the Patuakhali district BNP office at 10:00am on Saturday.

Just before the rally was about to start, a clash broke out between the activists of BNP and Awami League and its associate bodies Chhatra League and Jubo League.

Contacted, district BNP member secretary Snehanshu Sarkar Kutty said, "Awami League leaders and activists, including those of the Chhatra League and Jubo League, attacked our peaceful rally and foiled it.

"More than 100 of our leaders and workers suffered injuries. None of our men attacked AL leaders and activists."

"We are also preparing to file a case against the attackers," he added.