50 injured as AL men allegedly open fire at BNP rally in Cumilla

Staff Reporter :
Awami League and Jubo League leaders and activists have been accused of attacking the extended meeting of BNP in Cumilla’s Lalmai upazila on Saturday leaving at least 50 injured including two sustaining gun shots.

The incident took place in Undalia village of Belghar North Union of Lalmai Upazila on Saturday afternoon.

After the attack, two bullet-hit persons were rushed to the emergency unit of Cumilla Medical College Hospital.

Mohammad Sharif, assistant registrar of the hospital, said they are out of danger now.

During the attack, the house of union BNP’s general secretary Mofizul Islam was vandalised and looted. Several motorbikes and chairs were vandalised.

Awami League, however, denied the allegation of attack and put the blame on BNP men.

In this regards, BNP leaders said the party arranged a meeting at the house of Mofizul Islam at 3:00pm. BNP chairperson’s adviser and former lawmaker Monirul Haque Chowdhury was supposed to join the meeting as chief guest.

At around 2:00pm, some 40-50 Awami League and Jubo League men led by upazila parishad chairman Kamrul Hasan and upazila Awami League’s organising secretary Ayatullah brought out a protest rally at Goiyarbhanga Bazar carrying arms during the rally.

At the time, the ruling party men went to Undania village and vandalised the stage and chairs and tables at the venue of BNP’s meeting. The attackers also looted the house of BNP’s union secretary Mofizul.

As ruling party men opened fire, a BNP activist named Monir Hossain sustained a gunshot in the head. Firoz Ahmed Khan, joint convener of upazila Jubo Dal, was shot in the leg and stomach. Apart from these two, at least 20 more people were injured.

BNP chairperson’s advisor and former member of parliament Monirul Haque Chowdhury said, “We had a representative meeting in Belghar North union.

I heard that Awami League men hired by Lalmai Upazila Parishad Chairman Kamrul Hasan and Sadar Dakshin Upazila Parishad Chairman Golam Sarwar vandalised the place and fired shots at the meeting.

“Jubo Dal leaders Feroze and Monir were shot. Altogether 50 BNP leaders and activists were injured,” he added.

Denying the allegations, Sadar Dakshin Upazila Parishad Chairman Golam Sarwar said, “BNP men shot at our people during our procession on Gayarbhanga-Belghar road.

Around eight to nine of us were injured.