At least 45 people, including a police officer, were injured in a clash between the activists of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and the Bangladesh Jatiya Party near the New Market area in Bhola district town on Saturday.
According to locals, the incident occurred at about 12:30pm, when a procession of the BNP reached in front of the BJP鈥檚 district office.
The BJP brought out a procession in the morning and held a rally as part of its campaign ahead of the upcoming national election.
Around the same time, BNP activists also brought out a procession and a group of BNP activists changed its route and approached the BJP office, triggering the clash.
Locals said that at least four crude bombs exploded during the skirmish.
BJP leaders claimed that four motorcycles and furniture of their office were vandalized.
BJP鈥檚 town unit organising secretary Md Monirul Islam alleged that a BNP procession attacked their rally and vandalised motorcycles and furniture.
BNP鈥檚 town unit member secretary Raisul Alam described the incident as 鈥榰nfortunate鈥� and said, 鈥榃e urged our activists to avoid confrontation.鈥�
Bhola police station officer-in-charge Shahadat Hossain Parvez said that around 45 people, including a police officer, were injured during the clash.
鈥楽ome of them were admitted to hospitals and the others received primary treatment,鈥� he said.
Bhola superintendent of police Tarikul Haque said that they allowed both BNP and BJP to hold processions but on separate routes.
鈥楢 BNP faction deviated from its route and came in front of the BJP office, leading to the clash,鈥� he said.