50 BNP activists hurt as AL men ‘swoop on’ them

At least 50 BNP and Jubo Dal leaders and activists were injured after ruling Awami League men allegedly attacked a Juba Dal programme in Bhola yesterday.

At least four motorbikes were also torched during the attack, alleged leaders of Jubo Dal, the youth wing of BNP. 

Charfesson upazila Jubo Dal organised the event to mark its 44th founding anniversary at the residence of former lawmaker Nazimuddin Alam, also a BNP leader, in the upazila town.

A group of AL, Jubo League and Chhatra League men suddenly launched the attack around 11:00am, injuring at least 50 BNP and Jubo Dal men, said Ashraful Islam Dipu, president of Charfesson Jubo Dal.

Of the injured, 15-20 are in critical condition, he claimed.

He also alleged that Manjurul Islam, the upazila Jubo League's organising secretary, led the attack.

Contacted, Manjurul denied the allegations and said the violence might have been a result of Jubo Dal's infighting.

Five of the injured were admitted to Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital in Barishal, hospital sources said.

Morad Hossain, officer-in-charge of Charfesson Police Station, said police rushed to the spot immediately after hearing about the violence and brought the situation under control.

No case or complaint was filed in this regard till the filing of this report around 8:30pm.

Meanwhile in Narayanganj, Jubo Dal leaders and activists alleged that they faced obstructions and attacks by AL men while heading towards Dhaka to join a rally marking the organisation's founding anniversary.

The attack took place in Chonpara Kheyaghat area of Rupganj upazila around 10:00am, they said.

Golam Faruk Khokon, president of Narayanganj Jubo Dal, said at least three of their party men were wounded in the attack, which was launched by followers of local AL leader Bazlur Rahman.

Bazlur, member of Rupganj upazila unit AL and also a member of Kayetpara Union Parishad, dismissed the allegations and said neither he nor any of his follower was involved in any attack.

Contacted, AFM Sayed, OC of Rupganj Police Station, said he was not informed about any such incident and no one lodged any complaint in this regard.

Meanwhile, the BNP office in Patuakhali's Kalapara upazila was attacked by a group of 50-60 people. They vandalised the office around 7:15pm.

Hafizur Rahman, member secretary of Kalapara BNP, claimed that AL men, chanting "Joy Bangla", attacked the office while the Jubo Dal leaders and activists were gathered there ahead of the divisional rally.

Abdul Motaleb Talukder, general secretary of the upazila AL, denied the allegation.

(A correspondent from Narayanganj contributed to the report.)