50 injured in AL-BNP clash in Keraniganj

A clash between the activists of the Awami League and the BNP in Keraniganj on Friday resulted in injuries to at least 50 from both parties, including BNP'S Dhaka District General Secretary Nipun Roy.

Alongside Keraniganj, several districts, including Khagrachhari, Barguna, and Lakshmipur also saw some violent incidents.

As part of the ongoing anti-government movement, the BNP held public gatherings in 18 districts and metropolitan areas of nine divisions of the country, including Dhaka city.

Keraniganj upazila Awami League President and incumbent upazila Chairman Shaheen Ahmed said, "Twelve ruling party men were injured after BNP activists from a procession carried out an attack on Keraniganj upazila Awami League office."

He blamed Dhaka district BNP general secretary Nipun Roy Chowdhury for the clash.

Sharing images of wounded party men, in the brutal assault by the BNP on Friday, State Minister for Power Nasrul Hamid came down heavily on BNP activists who attacked the Awami League party office in his constituency and left several activists injured.

In a tweet, he shared images where party activists were seen bleeding.

Holding BNP leader Nipun Roy Chowdhury responsible for the attack, the tweet reads "Nipun Roy & her political goons unleashed a brutal assault on Zinjira Awami League supporters in broad daylight! Our members left wounded."

The injured AL men received treatment at Sir Salimullah Medical College Hospital.

According to Aminul Islam, Dhaka District additional superintendent of Police, the BNP was allowed to hold a rally in front of its local party office.

"Policemen were deployed there, but the clash took place at a different place. While the BNP men were on their way to the rally venue from the south Jinjira area, they attacked the local AL office. Police immediately rushed to the scene and brought the situation under control," he added.

Meanwhile, Mozadded Ali Babu, general secretary of Keraniganj BNP, said the clash ensued when members of the ruling Awami League began throwing bricks at a public gathering, causing injuries to 16 BNP men, including Nipun Roy.

Later, police arrived at the scene and brought the situation under control.

Dhaka District Superintendent of Police MD Asaduzzaman said some BNP men carried out an attack on the local  Awami League office, throwing bricks, following a clash with the ruling party men that resulted in several injuries.

Later, at a public gathering of Dhaka Metropolitan South BNP at Jatrabari, BNP leader Ruhul Kabir Rizvi criticised AL General Secretary Obaidul Quader for his statement on suppressing the BNP's movement. Rizvi said, "Obaidul Quader has said they will break the hands and feet of BNP in a counter-movement. That is why ruling party men attacked BNP's Dhaka district general secretary Nipun Roy Chowdhury and others in Keraniganj. She is now in the hospital.

"The home minister said the BNP attacked AL's Keraniganj office. So, why is BNP leader Nipun in hospital?"

In another incident, BNP Vice-Chairman Abdullah Al Noman's convoy was allegedly attacked on his way to attend a rally in Khagrachari. The BNP has blamed the local Awami League party men for the incident.

The BNP has called a "protest rally" on Saturday. Dhaka Metropolitan South BNP will arrange the rally in the city's Nayapaltan area at 2:30pm.