Factional clash leaves Awami League activist dead

Clash between two factions of the Awami League has left one activist dead at Magura Sadar.

Magura Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 23 July 2015, 10:39 AM
Updated : 23 July 2015, 12:51 PM

Another 17 people were injured in the feud at Rupdaha Sundarpur village of Shatrujit Union under Sadar Upazila on Thursday morning, Shatrujit police outpost's SI Sheikh Abu Hena Milon said.
 
The slain Nannu Sheikh, 45, was a follower of the ruling party's union unit General Secretary Ikhlas Sheikh.
 
Several houses were also vandalised during the clash between the supporters of union unit Vice-President Salam Hazi and that of Ikhlas.
 
Emergency unit doctor at Magura Sadar Hospital, Amar Prasad told bdnews24.com Nannu died after he was admitted in the hospital with others injured.
 
Local leaders and activists of the party said Thursday's fighting was sparked by a conflict during the chairman by-election of the Upazila Parisad on July 21.
 
In the poll, which Rustam Ali won, Salam Hazi and his followers backed Rustam Ali, while Ikhlas Sheikh and his supporters stood behind Abu Nasir Babul.
 
'Asaduzzaman' is among the injured who have been hospitalised.
 
He told bdnews24.com tension had been brewing among the rival factions after the poll.
 
"Salam's supporters stabbed Ikhlas' supporter Nannu. They also vandalised and looted houses of Ikhlas' men."
 
He said, "The clash between the groups left at least 30 people injured and 25 to 30 houses were attacked."
 
SI Milon said police fired tear-gas shells and rubber bullets to contain the situation.
 
No one has been arrested so far.
 
Meanwhile, both Salam Hazi and Ikhlas Sheikh blamed the opposition faction for the incident.
 
Ikhlas Sheikh told bdnews24.com Salam Hazi's associates had provoked the trouble by attacking his followers.
 
He alleged that Salam Hazi's supporters also vandalised and looted the house of people belonging to his camp.
 
In a counter claim, Salam Hazi said Ikhlas Sheikh's group had planned an attack on his people on election day.
 
He said he had informed the police.
 
"Organised with weapons, they attacked 30 to 35 houses of my supporters from Uttarparha to Pashchimparha in the morning today," he said.