5 BNP men hurt in clash with AL men in Khagrachhari

UNB :
At least five BNP men, including Khagrachhari chapter vice president Khetro Mohon Royaza, were injured in an attack on a motorcade allegedly by ruling Awami League (AL) men in Sadar upazila of Khagrachhari on Friday.

Wadud Bhuiyan, president of district chapter BNP, said their five men including Royaza sustained injuries after being attacked by the AL men without any provocation.

Suddenly, a group of the AL men equipped with sticks and brickbats carried out the attack on the motorcade heading towards their party office in the Sadar upazila around 11:15am, he said.

Meanwhile, BNP vice-chairman Abdullah Al Noman’s motorcade came under attack in Khagrachhari on Friday (May 26) when he was on his way to join a rally at Narkel Bagan in the district town.

The incident took place around 11:30am in front of Khagrachhari district Awami League office.

Khagrachhari district BNP president Wadud Bhuiyan blamed the ruling party for the attack, saying that Abdullah Al Noman’s car came under attack when he was going to the district town to attend a scheduled programme.

He alleged that the incident left five BNP leaders and activists injured. Though the car of Abdullah Al Noman was vandalised, he remained unhurt.

MN Afsar, general secretary of Khagrachhari district BNP, said Abdullah Al Noman, along with other party men, was going to the district town to join a scheduled programme. The ruling party leaders and activists launched an attack in a planned manner when the BNP motorcade was crossing the AL office in the Narkel Bagan area.

However, the ruling party denied the allegation. Nirmalendu Chowdhury, general secretary of AL’s district unit and mayor of Khagrachhari municipality, said their party members, who came to join a peace rally against the nationwide terrors of BNP-Jamaat, were taking rest at the party office.

At one stage, stones were thrown at the office from the BNP motorcade, leaving four Chhatra League and Jubo League members injured.
Abdul Gafur, vice president of Jubo Dal’s Chattogram city unit who was in the motorcade, said some 200 Awami League men attacked their motorcade when it was passing by the AL office.

KM Ismail, general secretary of Khagrachhari district Juba League said BNP leaders and activists attacked them first. Then, Awami League activists responded to the attack.

Khagrachhari police super Naimul Huque said that the overall situation in the area is under control.

Naimul Haque said he is unaware of the attack as no one has come up with a complaint. The BNP rally is going on peacefully and there is ample police protection. He said police would look into the incident if anyone lodged a complaint.

Defying the allegations of the attack, district Jubo League General Secretary KM Ismail Hossain claimed that the BNP men swooped on them when they were taking preparation for a party program in front of their office in Narikelbagan area.

The AL men just resisted them (BNP men) when the attack was made, he said.

Arifur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Khagrachhari police station, said no major incidents occurred in the city and the situation is now under their control.