AL men attack BNP's V Day rally in Ctg

At least eight activists of the BNP were injured when the ruling Awami League men attacked the opposition party’s Victory Day rally in Chattogram on Sunday.

The attack was carried out around 3:00pm as the BNP was holding a rally following Victory Day procession at Naya Bazar intersection in the port city.

BNP leaders and activists alleged that a group of 30-40 AL men swooped on the rally without any provocation. BNP vice chairman and its candidate for Chattogram-10 constituency and former minister Abdullah Al Noman was then addressing the rally.

At a press conference in Kajir Dewri area after the attack, Noman alleged that AL men led by AL candidate of Chattogram-10 constituency Afsarul Amin’s brother Ershadul Amin and Jubo League leader Sumon Debnath attacked the rally 'to kill him'.

One of the attackers showed a revolver during the attack, he alleged.

Noman said he along with BNP activists took shelter in a neighbouring house. AL men still tried to attack them.

He alleged they called the police officials during the incident but they did not take any action.

Noman said repeated attacks on the opposition leaders by the ruling AL proved that there is no environment to contest the upcoming national elections.

“I can’t understand why we’re participating in the elections. How can we contest the polls as we are being attacked every day?” Noman said adding, “Forget the election, it has now become a question of life and death. They are armed, I am unprotected. There is no chance of reaching the voters.”

Asked, Ershadul Amin denied the allegation of attacking the rally.

He rather claimed that the incident is the outcome of the BNP’s internal feud.

Officer-in-charge of Pahartoli police station Swadip Kumar Das said that no one lodged any complaint about the matter.