Violence and clashes at six upazilas

Upazila parishad elections start on 8 MayFile Photo

There have been reports of clashes in six upazilas centering the sixth upazila parishad election. In some places there have been clashes between the two sides and in some places the election camps have been attacked and a number of business establishments and vehicles damaged. The police have filed a case against supporters of a chairman candidate on charges of entering the Belkuchi police station at Sirajganj and creating chaos. In Sujanagar, Pabna, five persons were injured with two receiving bullet injuries during clashes between two sides.

Sources in the Belkuchi police station said that at around 9:30pm Wednesday night at the Chala Shat Rastar Mor intersection of Belkuchi municipal area, activists and supporters of the upazila chairman candidates Aminul Islam and Badiuzzaman Fakir got caught up in altercations and skirmishes. Badiuzzaman went to the police station to lodge a complaint, but Aminul Islam's activists and supporters entered the police station at the same time too. Aminul Islam's men created disorder, shouting loudly and disrupting the situation. The police arrested 10 in the incident.

Badiuzzaman complained that Aminul Islam's men assaulted his men at Chala Shat Rastar Mor in Aminul Islam's presence. When he went to file a case in this regard at the police station, they broke out in violence there too.

Aminul Islam, however, claims that when they were returning from campaigning, Badiuzzaman's men attacked them. They rushed forward again when they went to the police station to complain. At one point of time certain isolated incidents occurred.

In the meantime on Thursday evening in Sujanagar, Pabna, the supporters of two chairman candidates clashed, resulting in five persons being injured, two of whom received bullet injuries. The incident took place at the Kalir Mor area of Bhaina union in the upazila, between the activists and supporters of chairman candidates, upazila Awami League president Abdul Wahab, and general secretary and present upazila parishad chairman Shahinuzzaman. The police picked up three from the spot.

At least 10 persons were injured in clashes between two rival chairman candidates sides at the Sripur upazila parishad election in Magura. An election office of one of the candidates was attacked and 10 motorcycles of both the sides were damaged

Eyewitnesses said that the leaders and activists of either side first broke out into altercations at Kalir Mor. Then they took up sticks and clashed. Then supporters of Abdul Wahab attacked the house of the Bhaina union parishad (UP) chairman too. Gunshots were heard.

Officer-in-charge (OC) of Sujanagar police station Jalaluddin said, police were sent upon hearing about the attack on the UP chairman's house. When they tried to prevent the clashes between the two sides, the police were attacked too. Later the police fired from their shotguns and brought the situation under control.

At least 10 persons were injured in clashes between two rival chairman candidates sides at the Sripur upazila parishad election in Magura. An election office of one of the candidates was attacked and 10 motorcycles of both the sides were damaged. These clashes broke out at around 9:00pm Wednesday night between the supporters of the chairman candidates Shariatullah Hossain Miah and MM Motasim Billah at the Nabagram bazar of Gayeshpur union  in the upazila.

In the Jamalpur Sadar upazila election, there are reports of two campaign centres of chairman candidate Hafizur Rahman being destroyed as well as the business establishment of one of his activists and the house of another activist being damaged in attacks. Five persons were injured in these incidents.

In Keraniganj, Dhaka, there are allegations that the car of Sonia Akhter, wife of the chairman candidate Altaf Hossain, was damaged and campaigning was obstructed. The victim submitted a written complaint on Wednesday afternoon at the police station about this incident that took place at Konda union bus stand bazar area.

In Birampur, Dinajpur, there are reports of the activists and supporters of chairman candidate Parvez Kabir being assaulted and the election camp being damaged. On Wednesday night two activists of Parvez Kabir were injured in this incident at Bangabandhu Mor in Ketra bazar.

Also Read