Chittagong Awami League activists feud during Secretary General Quader’s visit

Two factions of the Chittagong Awami League have embroiled in a brawl on their way to welcome the visiting Awami League Secretary General Obaidul Quader.

The brawl was reported on the first floor of the Chittagong Circuit House on Saturday, just before a reception for the newly appointed secretary general of the ruling party.

The altercation took place between supporters of South Chittagong District Awami League Vice-President Motaherul Islam Chowdhury and Potia Upazila Awami League President Rashed Monowar.

Quader was on the same floor, but not present at the scene of the feud.

Witnesses say the two groups continued to exchange heated words and some of them were throwing punches at each other.

Motaherul told bdnews24.com: “It wasn’t a big issue. After all, both sides were able to welcome the secretary general with flower bouquets.”

“It is a small matter,” he added. “Sometimes such things happen in a political party.”

“We went to present flowers to the general secretary,” said Rashed, who heads the Potia Upazila AL. “There was some ‘side talk’.”

“Motaherul Islam’s followers manhandled one of our group. This led to a bit of a heated exchange between our people, but we were both able to present flowers to the secretary general,” he said.

Rashed said he brought up ‘some problems’ with the Upazila chapter of the Awami League to Quader.

 “We told him we are unable to organise events in the area, but he did not offer any opinion on the matter.”