8 hurt in BNP factional clash in N’ganj

At least eight people were injured in a BNP factional clash over the absence of a name in the guest list of an event in Narayanganj’s Araihazar upazila this afternoon.
The clash and chase and counter-chases between two groups of followers of Nazrul Islam Azad, assistant organising secretary of Dhaka divisional unit, lasted from 3:00pm to 6:00pm in the Shrinibasdi area of Mahmudpur, said locals.
Police personnel have been deployed later to maintain law and order, said Enayet Hossain, officer-in-charge of Araihazar Police Station.
According to the police and locals, a football tournament was organised in the locality and the final match and prize giving event is scheduled for Monday.
Nazrul Islam Azad was invited as the chief guest at the event.
The clash broke out as former JCD leader Amir Hossain’s supporters confronted BNP’s Mahmudpur unit president Masum Shikari’s followers after the Amir’s name was not found on the guest list in the banner.
Both parties used locally-made sharp weapons and harpoons during the clash, said a witness.
The injured are Amir’s nephew Sabbir Hossain, his followers Habibur Rahman, Kawsar Ahmed, Md Jalam, and Masum’s followers Md Delowar, Md Masud, Rubel Shikari, Md Samad.
Among them Sabbir, Delowar and Masud were admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, said Amir Hossain.
“Masum made the guest list alone, even though we were also involved in organising the event. During an argument over this, his followers attacked us, we just resisted them,” he claimed.
However, Masum Shikari alleged that Amir along with his followers first vandalised the stage, later a scuffle broke between them.
Both parties said that, they will file complaint in this connection.
However, OC Enayet Hossain said that no complaints were filed till 9:00pm.