"> AL men vandalise a house belonging to a BNP man. Photo: Star"> Set a motorbike of another rival party activist afire during a clash at Kukoramara village in Bagerhat Sadar upazila yesterday. Photo: Star 

At least nine people were injured in a series of violent clashes between local activists of Awami League (AL) and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) at Kukoramara village under Bishnupur union in Sadar upazila on Sunday night.
Witnesses said, a group of activists belonging to BNP and Jamaat-e-Islam attacked a group of Awami League men and stabbed at least nine leaders and activists with sharp weapons in front of a tea stall while they were returning from town at about 7.00pm.
The injured included Bishnupur union Jubo League general secretary Mukul Sardar, vice president of Sadar upazila Sramik League Humayun Sheikh, organising secretary of union Swechchhasebok League Azizul Khan and vice president of union Chhatra League Jihad Jomaddar.
Bagerhat Sadar police  sources said, the clash took place as 40-50 BNP-Jamaat men attacked the Awami League activists over a trifling local issue.
At one stage, both groups equipped with sharp weapons locked in a series of clashes for three hours till 10.00pm.
Awami League men vandalised and set afire at least five houses of BNP supporters at that time.
Two motorbikes were also set ablaze.
Of the injured, three people were admitted to Bagarhat Sadar hospital and Khulna Medical College Hospital in critical condition.
Denying the attack on Awami League activists by BNP men, Bagerhat district unit BNP president MA Salam alleged that actually local AL men attacked their leaders and activists and injured several of them.
They also vandalised and set afire their several houses and business establishments during the clash, said the leader.