At least nine people, including six with bullet injuries, were wounded in a factional clash between two groups of the ruling Awami League over dominance in Gazaria Upazila of Munshiganj Monday afternoon.
Seven of the injured were taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital for better treatment, while two were admitted to Gazaria upazila health complex.
The injured are Harun Or Rashid, 35, Roni, 34, Akther, 40, Muktar, 42, Ananda, 25, Hasib, 22, Shahinur Begum, 55, Riad Hossain, 24, and Akter Hossain, 40.
Witnesses said that the conflict between the Shah Paran group and the Harun Or Rashid group had been ongoing for a long time over spreading dominance. The tension intensified after the upazila election, as Shah Paran supported the winning candidate Mansur Ahmed Khan Jinnah, while Harun Or Rashid supported the defeated candidate Amirul Islam.
The two factions also clashed on Sunday while celebrating the party鈥檚 75th founding anniversary, triggering Monday鈥檚 clash at about 5:30pm in front of Goalgao village of the Upazila.
Later, police and local people brought the situation under control, they added.
鈥榃e are doing the politics of Awami League. Was it our fault to participate in the party鈥檚 founding anniversary programme? At least 25-26 people with pistols, led by Shah Alam, attacked us,鈥� said AL Hosendee union ward no 3 unit president Harun Or Rashid, who was injured in the clash.
鈥楾hey fired at us randomly, resulting in six bullet injuries,鈥� added Harun.
Asked about the allegations, Shah Paran said that the rival group was spreading falsehood.
鈥業 was outside the area. I heard about small conflicts. Some of our leaders and activists were injured in the clash,鈥� he added.
Defeated upazila chairman candidate Amirul Islam, also AL upazila unit president, condemned the attack, saying that their leaders and activists had been consecutively attacked since the upazila elections.
Gazaria police station officer-in-charge Md Rajib Khan said that they sent police personnel after hearing about the clash.
鈥榃e cannot say anything right now about anyone, being injured by bullets or not. We can provide details later,鈥� the OC added.