A rally of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) came under attack in Munshiganj’s Sreenagar upazila on Friday morning.
BNP claimed at least 50 persons including the party’s member secretary of upazila unit were injured in the attack.
BNP alleged that the ruling Awami League’s associate bodies Chharta League and Jubo League carried out the attack in presence of police. Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), however, claimed that BNP men attacked their procession and injured 10-15 activists
Locals said leaders and activists of BNP and associate bodies thronged the Sreenagar-Dohar bypass area in the morning to join their scheduled programme protesting the price hike of essential commodities.
The BNP men brought out a procession at around 10 in the morning. BCL also brought out a procession at the same time.
BNP men alleged that BCL men attacked them without any provocation. The ruling party men indiscriminately beat upazila BNP’s member secretary Hafizul Islam Khan, Mahila Dal leader Selina Rina, upazila Jubo Dal’s president Jaynal Abedin, Jubo Dal leader Masud Rana, BNP leader Mamun, Abul Mridha, Md Roni, Azim, Babul Bepari, Kawsar Hossain, Abul Kalam, Tanvir Hasan, Rokeya Begum and others, BNP men alleged.
Hafizul Islam Khan said that BCL and Jubo League men attacked their peaceful procession with local and sharp weapons at the behest of policemen present there.
He said 50 BNP men were injured and 25 of them were treated in upazila health complex.
Sreenagar upazila BCL’s general secretary Fahim Islam said BNP men attacked a mourning procession of BCL brought out on Sreenagar bypass road to mark the month of mourning.
He denied BCL initiated the attack.
Officer-in-charge of Sreenagar police station Md Aminul Islam said the clash ensued as stones were pelted at BCL men from BNP’s procession.
He denied BNP’s allegation of abetting BCL men.
