The supporters of several nomination aspirants of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party engaged in clashes and staged demonstrations at places in the country on Tuesday, a day after the BNP announced its preliminary selection of party candidates for 237 constituencies.
At least 29 people were injured as the supporters of 鈥榙eprived鈥� nomination aspirants and those of the primarily selected candidates locked in clashes in Magura and Meherpur on Tuesday.
Besides, supporters of 鈥榙eprived鈥� nomination seekers staged protests in Chandpur, Satkhira, and Naogaon demanding nomination for their candidates.
The BNP in a press release Tuesday afternoon suspended the nomination of Kamal Zaman Molla for Madaripur-1 constituency, hours after BNP leaders and activists staged demonstration in the constituency demanding the change of the candidate for the constituency.
The party on early Tuesday expelled four local leaders of its front organisations in Chattogram鈥檚 Sitakunda upazila for their involvement in violent protests and a blockade on the Dhaka鈥揅hattogram highway Monday night over the selection of the party鈥檚 candidates for the upcoming national polls, expected to be held in the first half of February next year.
BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, in a Facebook post聽 Tuesday afternoon, urged the party leaders who failed to secure nominations to have faith that the party will award them with due responsibility and respect.
抖阴精品 correspondent in Kushtia reported that, in Meherpur-2 constituency, violent clash erupted in Gangni upazila Tuesday morning between the supporters of former BNP lawmaker Amzad Hossain, who secured the party nomination, and the followers of the district BNP president, Zaved Masud Milton, who failed to secure the party ticket.
Eyewitnesses said that the confrontation began at about 11:30am, when Amzad Hossain and his supporters had been passing by the town鈥檚 bus stand, triggering a wave of attacks from both sides.
Amzad鈥檚 supporters reportedly attacked Milton鈥檚 office and set fire to furniture and documents there.
At least 15 people were injured during the clash, they said.
Gangni police station officer-in-charge Boni Israel said that members of the law enforcement agencies were deployed there to keep the law and order situation under control.
抖阴精品 Correspondent in Magura reported that supporters of BNP selected candidate Nitai Roy Chowdhury and deprived aspirant Kazi Salimul Haque Kamal locked in a series of clashes in Mohammadpur upazila of Magura-2 constituency from Monday night to Tuesday morning.
The clashes left at least 14 people from both sides injured, party insiders said.
Mohammadpur police station OC Abdur Rahman said in the afternoon that the situation was under control and additional forces were deployed there to avoid any further untoward incident.聽
In Chandpur-4 constituency, agitated supporters of Faridganj upazila BNP convener MA Hannan blocked the Faridganj-Raipur road in the Faridganj municipality bus stand area for about six hours until 4:00pm on Tuesday and staged a protest demonstration demanding nomination for Hannan for the constituency.
They blocked the road and staged a protest by burning tires on the road and urged the central leaders to reconsider the nomination for the constituency, where the party preliminary selected Harunur Rashid.
抖阴精品 Correspondent in Satkhira reported that the supporters of BNP鈥檚 national executive committee member Shohidul Alam staged protests, blocked Satkhira-Kaliganj road and held a half-day hartal in Kaliganj upazila demanding his selection as a candidate.
The supporters of the nomination-deprived aspirant in Satkhira-3 constituency blocked the Satkhira-Kaliganj road between 9:00am and 1:00pm, while shopkeepers and traders kept their shops closed at Kaliganj town amid a tense situation.
Due to the hartal and road blockade, movement of vehicles remained halted on the road, causing sufferings to the passengers.
In Naogaon, supporters of BNP鈥檚 Manda upazila president MA Matin Tyagi blocked and staged a protest on the Naogaon-Rajshahi highway in the upazila鈥檚 Ferry Ghat area Tuesday afternoon demanding his nomination for the Naogaon-4 constituency.聽 聽
抖阴精品 Staff Correspondent in Chattogram reported that the BNP on early Tuesday expelled Sitakunda upazila unit of Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Swechchhasebak Dal president Alauddin Moni, general secretary Helal Uddin Babor, Sitakunda municipality convener Md Mamun, and Sonaichhari union unit Juba Dal general secretary Momin Uddin over Monday night鈥檚 violent protests and a blockade on the Dhaka鈥揅hattogram highway.
Agitated supporters of Chattogram-4 constituency鈥檚 deprived aspirant Aslam Chowdhury blocked the highway and the nearby railway line in the Bhatiari area for about four hours until 11:00pm on Monday, demanding his selection as a party candidate.
Moreover, supporters of nomination-deprived aspirants for Madaripur-1, Natore-1, Magura-2, Kushtia-3, and Cumilla-6 constituencies staged protests and blocked roads on Monday night, demanding nomination for their candidates.
Meanwhile, thousands of BNP leaders and activists brought out processions and began mass campaign in favour of BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia in Dinajpur and Bogura on Monday and Tuesday as her name was declared as the candidate for the Dinajpur Sadar-3, Bogura-7 and Feni-1 constituencies.