Twenty-one people, including women, have been injured in a clash over relief distribution in Kotalipara municipality of Gopalganj district.
The incident happened in ward 3, Shimulbari area, of the municipality on Wednesday.
Nineteen out of the twenty-one injured are admitted to Kotalipara Upazila Health Complex.
Chanmia Khalifa and Firoza Khalifa, two of the injured, said they are the day labourers of the area. They have lost their jobs and do not have enough food during this coronavirus crisis.
The ward’s Councilor Kamal Hossain Sarder was distributing relief among his supports and other well-off families. The day labourers protested against the relief distribution and were attacked by the councilor’s supporter Ayub Ali, the injured added.
Soon there was a clash between the groups and police had to come to control the situation. The incident left at least 21 people injured.
The ward councilor denied all allegations and said he did not follow any kinship while distributing the relief. The relief were given to the eligible ones.
The injured are falsely accusing him as he had a past dispute with the Khalifa family, which might be the reason behind it, the ward councilor added.
The municipality Mayor Hazi Md Kamal Hossain Sheikh said we have ordered all councilors to provide relief to only those who are eligible and they are following the direction.
Kotalipara police station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Md Zakaria said they heard of the clash and reached there to control the situation, but nobody has still placed a complaint in this regard.
Police will take legal action as soon as a complaint is placed, the OC added.
