Boy among three shot during Fatullah Jubo Dal factional clash over scrap fabric business

Faction chiefs claim they were not at the scene during the exchange of gunshots

A 13-year-old boy has been shot and critically injured alongside two others during a factional clash of the Jubo Dal in Narayanganj’s Fatullah. The conflict allegedly emerged over the control of a scrap fabric (locally known as “jhut”) business.

The clash ensued around 9:30am on Thursday near the BSCIC industrial area and lasted for at least an hour, police and witnesses said.

The boy was identified as Imran Hossain, son of local resident Asmaul Hossain, while the others are Rakib, 23, the son of a BNP leader at Enayetnagar Union, and Rafiq, 40, a BNP activist.

Imran was admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital in critical condition, his family said.

The two others were rushed to a Narayanganj hospital, according to police.

Imran’s elder sister Isha Moni told bdnews24.com at 2pm:"On the way back from the madrasa near our house, my brother was shot in the left side of the stomach, causing his to bleed out profusely.

He has been taken to the operating theatre, with the doctor ordering eight bags of blood, said Isha.

Additional Superintendent of district police Md Hasinuzzaman, said one the groups of the Jubo Dal had been collecting “jhut” from a factory for the past 18 months, leading to a continued dispute with the other faction.

“The feud finally resulted in a shootout, injuring three people."

One of the factions is led by district unit Jubo Dal member secretary Mashiur Rahman Roni, who had been collecting “jhut” from the factory called “Best Style Composite Limited” since the fall of the Awami League government.

But Fatullah Thana Jubo Dal Convenor Masudur Rahman and his followers had been objecting to their involvement in the business.

Witnesses said both sides fired gunshots and set off crude bombs.

However, Jubo Dal leaders denied their own involvement in the violence and said they separately went to the scene after hearing news of the clash, which Roni described as "non-political".

“It was all about the ‘jhut’ business,” he said.

Hasinuzzaman said police took control of the situation around 10:30am.

The police officer, nevertheless, could not identify the suspected shooters.

“Additional forces are deployed at the scene to prevent further escalations,” he added.