2 killed as AL factions clash

Two people were killed and 12 others injured in a factional clash of ruling Awami League over upazila elections in Joypurhat on Saturday night.

In Kalai upazila, a clash broke out between supporters of two AL leaders in Moslemganj village, killing two people and injuring 12 others.

The deceased are Aftab Hossain, 48, of Maddhyapara village, and Ratan Kumar Mohanta, 43, of Mahishpara village.

Police said election in Kalai upazila was held on March 10. Two AL leaders -- Minfuzur Rahman Milon and ANM Shawkat Habib Talukdar -- tried to get party's nomination for contesting in Kalai upazila chairman post. Finally, Milon secured party's nomination.  

In the polls, Habib and local union parishad chairman Wazed Ali, who is also an AL leader, supported JSD candidate Tarikul Islam. But Milon won the polls, said locals.

Following the rivalry, followers of Milon equipped with sticks and sharp weapons attacked Moslemganj village, which is a stronghold of Wazed, around 9:00pm on Saturday, they alleged.

The clash erupted when supporters of Wazed launched a counterattack. Some 10 shops were vandalised and looted during the clash.

On information, police rushed to the spot and fired rubber bullets to bring the situation under control.

A case was filed with Kalai Police Station, said Abdul Latif Khan, officer-in-charge of the police station.

Contacted, Milon and Wazed blamed each other for the incident.

In Pabna's Chatmohar upazila, a union parishad chairman and one of his supporters were hurt in an attack allegedly by rivals in Boailmari area on Saturday night.

The injured UP chairman, Kamruzzaman Khokon, 48, was campaigning for AL rebel chairman candidate for Chatmohar Upazila Parishad Abdul Hamid Master.

Sakhawat Hossain, president of AL Chatmohar upazila unit, is contesting for the chairman post with AL ticket.

This upazila goes to election today. 

Nasir Uddin, officer-in-charge of Chatmohar Police Station, said the reason behind the attack could be known after investigation.

This year, elections in 480 upazilas will be held in five phases. Seventy-eight upazilas went to polls on March 10 in the first phase. In the second phase, elections in 116 upazilas will be held today. The third-phase polls will be held in 127 upazilas on March 24 and the fourth phase in 122 upazilas on March 31.

The Election Commission is yet to announce the schedule for the fifth phase.

In another incident, five AL men were wounded and around 12 houses were vandalised as two groups of AL men clashed at Paddakar union under Jhenidah Sadar upazila over establishing supremacy in the area on Saturday night.

Locals and police said there had been a longstanding conflict between Paddakar Union Parishad former chairman Bikash Chandra Biswas and its incumbent chairman Nizamul Goni Litu.

Around 10:30pm, supporters of both the groups were locked in an altercation over establishing supremacy at Hatgopalpur Bazaar. At one stage, they attacked each other with sharp weapons, bamboos and sticks.

Milu Mia Biswas, assistant superintendent of Jhenidah police, said additional forces were deployed in the area to avoid further violence.

Our correspondents in Dinajpur, Pabna and Jhenidah contributed to the report.