At least nine people, including six with bullet injuries, were wounded in a factional clash between two groups of the ruling Awami League over establishing supremacy in Munshiganj's Gazaria upazila on Monday afternoon.
The incident happened at Gouaslou village in the upazila.
Seven of the injured were taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital for better treatment, while two were admitted to Gazaria upazila health complex.
The injured are Harun Or Rashid, 35, Roni, 34, Akther, 40, Muktar, 42, Ananda, 25, Hasib, 22, Shahinur Begum, 55, Riad Hossain, 24, and Akter Hossain, 40.
Witnesses said that the conflict between the Shah Paran group and the Harun Or Rashid group had been ongoing for a long time over spreading dominance. The tension intensified after the upazila election, as Shah Paran supported the winning candidate Mansur Ahmed Khan Jinnah, while Harun Or Rashid supported the defeated candidate Amirul Islam.
The two factions also clashed on Sunday while celebrating the party’s 75th founding anniversary, triggering Monday’s clash.
Later, police and local people brought the situation under control, they added.
‘We are doing the politics of Awami League. Was it our fault to participate in the party’s founding anniversary programme? At least 25-26 people with pistols, led by Shah Alam, attacked us,’ said AL Hosendee union ward no 3 unit president Harun Or Rashid, who was injured in the clash.
‘They fired at us randomly, resulting in six bullet injuries,’ added Harun.
Asked about the allegations, Shah Paran said that the rival group was spreading falsehood.
On information, police have been sent to the spot and the situation is now under control, said Md Rajib Khan, officer-in-charge of Gazaria Police Station.
‘We cannot say anything whether anyone being injured by bullets or not. The details will be known later,’ the OC added.
MH/MB
