20 injured in Awami League’s infighting in Patuakhali

At least 20 people of Awami League (AL) were injured in a clash between two groups of AL during the celebration of the 103rd birth anniversary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and National Children’s Day in Patuakhali on Friday.

The injured were admitted to local hospitals. But their identities could not be known immediately.

Of them, Bauphal upazila unit AL General Secretary and Upazila Parishad Chairman Abdul Motaleb Hawlader were hospitalised at Sher-E-Bangla Medical College Hospital with serious injury, hospital doctors said.

On the occasion of the Bangabandhu’s birthday, local AL lawmaker ASM Feroz, Motaleb and district unit AL Joint General Secretary and Bauphal municipal Mayor Ziaul Hoque Jewel announced separate programmes.

Of them, Feroz and Motaleb called the programme at the same place and time. A tense situation had been prevailing in the area over the matter for the last few days.

Auribindu, an upazila unit Juba League leader, said that Motaleb and his followers brought out a celebratory procession around 11:00am.

Police obstructed the procession in front of the upazila parishad gate when it was marching towards the party office, he said.

Suddenly, several hundred supporters of Faisal Ahmed Monir, nephew of the lawmaker and upazila unit AL President Feroz, attacked Motaleb and his men with sharp weapons when an altercation broke out between police and him, Auribindu said.

Law enforcers fired at least 7-8 rounds of rubber bullets to bring the situation under control, causing panic among locals.

As of filing this report around 3:00pm, a tense situation has been prevailing in the area.

Al Mamun, officer-in-charge of Bauphal police station, said additional number of police personnel have been deployed to ward off any unexpected incident further. He said they were forced to fire rubber bullets to disperse the infighting groups.

Md Al Amin, Bauphal upazila nirbahi officer, said both groups promised to hold their events in a peaceful manner but no one kept their word despite his request.