Awami League’s factional clashes leave at least 20 injured in Noakhali

At least 20 people were injured including 7 receiving bullet wounds as two factions of ruling Awami League locked into fierce clashes at Chaprashir Hat area in Companiganj upazila under Noakhali.

The two groups clashed twice for an hour from 4:30pm on Friday. Police fired several rounds of blank shots to quell the situation.

Following the clashes, Abdul Quader Mirza, Basurhat pourashava mayor and younger brother of Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader, alleged that supporters of lawmakers Ekram Chowdhury and Nizam Uddin Hazari carried out pre-planned attack on his men. He claimed at least 50 of his supporters were injured during the clashes.

Police and local sources said, Companiganj’s former upazila chairman Mizanur Rahman Badal held a meeting at his residence near Chaprashir Hat bazar. He later led a rally towards Chaprashir Hat following the meeting. When the rally reached at the middle of the Chaprashir Hat bazar, supporters of Quader Mirza led by Charfokira union parishad chairman Jamal Uddin swooped on the rally which led to chase and counter chase.

Companiganj police later shot blank fire and dispersed the clashing sides.

A while later, Quader Mirza along with his supporters in two microbuses and over a hundred motorcycles attacked Mizanur Rahman’s house. Police later took control of the situation by firing blank shots.

At least 20 people were injured during the clash. Borhan Uddin alias Mozakkir, a Companiganj correspondent of ‘Bangladesh Samachar’ newspaper also received bullet wounds. Other injured are—Md Farhad, Abdul Amit and Mohammad Kanchan.

Mizanur Rahman said that he was holding a meeting to exchange views with party activists regarding a programme scheduled to be held on Saturday.

UP chairman Jamal first attacked their procession while Quader Mirza led the attack at his home later, alleged Mizanur.

He claimed the several of his supporters were injured during the clashes.

Mir Jahedul Haque, officer in charge of Companiganj police station told Prothom Alo that supporters of Mizanur Rahman and UP chairman Jamal clashed. Later second phase of the clash took place when some supporters led by Quader Mirza came to Chaprashir Hat bazar.

Police controlled the situation but a tense situation is prevailing in the area, he added.