Leaders and activists of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami scuffled at Natudah union of Damurhuda upazila in Chuadanga on Thursday after the name of former president Ziaur Rahman, also the founder of the BNP, was reportedly not mentioned during an Independence Day programme.

Zia was one of the leading figures of the Bangladesh War of Independence in 1971.

The scuffle took place at the upazila at a government-organised event attended by the local member of parliament for the Chuadanga-2 constituency, Ruhul Amin, also the district Jamaat amir, and senior administrative officials.

Activists of the ruling BNP raised objections when Ziaur Rahman’s name was not mentioned during the programme.

Witnesses said that the brawl escalated from a verbal argument to a brief physical confrontation.

BNP activists reportedly confronted a religion teacher from Natudah High School, who was hosting the programme, while Jamaat activists intervened, leading to the scuffle between the two groups.

At one point, Natudah union Jamaat amir Shamsuzzohah and the brother of the local BNP president, Shamsul, exchanged heated words.

Damurhuda upazila Jamaat leaders Naib Ali and secretary Md Titon said they tried to maintain calm from the start and had no intention of creating conflict.

They called the incident unfortunate and noted that such situations during national day celebrations could create fear among the public.

Rafiqul Hasan Tanu, general secretary of Damurhuda upazila BNP, alleged that political parties were not consulted before the event.

He claimed that repeated requests to mention Ziaur Rahman’s contributions in the Liberation War were ignored, angering BNP activists.

He also said that BNP leaders were neither properly invited nor shown due respect during the programme.

Damurhuda upazila nirbahi officer Obaidullah Rahman Sahel described the incident as unfortunate but said that the official programmes included flag hoisting, floral tributes and prayers.

‘There was no requirement to announce names,’ he said, adding that the event’s purpose was to honour the martyrs of the Independence War.

The situation was eventually resolved with the intervention of Chuadanga-2 MP Ruhul Amin.

Ziaur Rahman’s name was later mentioned, and a brief account of his life was shared during the programme.