Clash erupts between Jamaat factions in Cumilla

The incident occurred around 7:00 PM at the Jamaat-e-Islami metropolitan party office located in the Mogaltuli area of the city.

According to party sources, top leaders of Cumilla Metropolitan Jamaat had been at odds for over a month regarding the formation of a new committee. Tensions further escalated on social media platforms over the leadership row ahead of the scheduled Ameer election on October 16.

Friction among party activists intensified following rumors that current Secretary Mahbubur Rahman was set to be elected as the new Ameer under party policies.

Against this backdrop, a high-level meeting led by Central Assistant Secretary General and Cumilla Region Supervisor ATM Masum was underway on the third floor of the Faruqui House party office on Wednesday evening.

During the meeting, former councillor and Jamaat leader Golam Kibria, alongside Ekram Hossain Babu and Shahin, among others, visited Faruqui House to discuss postponing the October 16 election with central leader ATM Masum and Metropolitan Jamaat Ameer Kazi Deen Mohammad.

Simultaneously, a group ignited crude bombs on the ground floor, vandalized the personal vehicle of Jamaat Secretary Mahbubur Rahman, and forced their way into the office to smash several chairs before fleeing the scene. Upon receiving information, police personnel from Cumilla Kotwali Model Police Station reached the spot. As news of the attack spread across the city, party activists from various wards gathered at Faruqui House.

Commenting on the incident, former councillor Golam Kibria said, "Hearing about the central leader's arrival, several of us went to Faruqui House to discuss postponing the election with ATM Masum bhai and Ameer Deen Mohammad bhai. Meanwhile, unidentified miscreants detonated crude bombs below and vandalized the Secretary's car before leaving, tarnishing our party's image. To the best of my knowledge, those involved are not party members."

Repeated phone calls and messages to Cumilla Metropolitan Jamaat Ameer Kazi Deen Mohammad and Secretary Mahbubur Rahman for comments went unanswered.

However, Mosharraf Hossain, Assistant Secretary of Cumilla Metropolitan Jamaat, stated, "This is an internal matter. A meeting with central leader ATM Masum bhai is currently ongoing inside the office, and we will brief the media later."

Touhidul Anwar, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Cumilla Kotwali Model Police Station, confirmed that the attack stemmed from an internal dispute over party leadership positions, adding that police officers from the station were deployed to manage the situation on the ground.