At least 26 people, including three women, were injured in a clash between BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami activists in Patuakhali’s Bauphal upazila today.
Locals and witnesses said a group of Jamaat’s female activists was conducting a campaign at Bhandaria Bazar around 12:30pm in favour of their party candidate of Patuakhali-2 constituency Shafiqul Islam Masud.
At that time, some BNP activists intercepted them, alleging that the female group was distributing money to buy votes.
Hearing this, some Jamaat men rushed there, triggering altercation between the groups. At one point, both groups locked into a clash.
Some 26 people, who were injured in the violence, were admitted to the Bauphal Upazila Health Complex. Three of them are women, said the Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer Dr Abdur Rouf.
One of the injured people was sent to the Barishal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College as his physical condition was critical, he added.
Protesting the incident, Jamaat activists brought out protest procession in the upazila headquarters around 3:30pm.
When the procession reached near the upazila health complex, a chase and counter-chase took place again between BNP and Jamaat activists, said locals and witnesses.
Later, Jamaat activists blocked the Barishal-Bauphal road in front of Bauphal Police Station and demanded the transfer of its’ officer-in-charge (OC) alleging that the police officer was playing a biased role towards BNP.
They kept the road blocked for around two hours.
Contacted, the upazila unit Jamaat Secretary, Md Khalidur Rahman, alleged that BNP men carried out several attacks on Jamaat activists, and the OC is playing a role in favour of BNP.
He claimed that 30 of his party men were injured in today’s attack.
However, OC Siddiqur Rahman denied the allegations, saying, “I am carrying out my duties with complete neutrality. The overall law and order situation in the area remains under control.”
Contacted, the upazila unit BNP Convener Taslim Talukder denied the allegation and said, “None of the party men attacked them [Jamaat]. Rather, Jamaat activists attacked our party men and are trying to falsely blame us.”
He claimed that 20 BNP activists were injured in the clash.
In the evening, Patuakhali’s Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Arif Muhammad Shakur addressed a gathering of Jamaat activists and assured to conduct impartial investigations into the violence.
Contacted, Bauphal Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) and Assistant Returning Officer (ARO) Saleh Ahmed said legal action would be taken upon investigation.
