One killed in pre-poll clash in Savar, at least 20 others injured

A clash between supporters of the ruling Awami League’s UP chairman candidate and a renegade aspirant of the party has left one person dead at Dhaka’s Savar Upazila.

Quoting locals, police said that bullets were fired during the clash late on Friday, at Kaundia Union Parishad (UP) and at least 20 others were injured.

 

Witnesses said that the clash erupted when processions by supporters of AL candidate Saiful Alam Khan and rebel candidate Atikur Rahman Khan Shanto crossed each other near a school at the Union council’s Singashar area.

 

The dead has been identified as 55-year-old Shahidul Islam, who campaigned for the renegade AL candidate Shanto, according to locals.

 

Witnesses said that the campaigners engaged in running battles and bullets were fired during the clashes. Those injured were taken to local hospitals.

 

Islam died while being shifted to the Dhaka Medical College Hospital from a Savar hospital, said Savar’s Senior Assistant Superintendent of Police Sheikh Rasel.

 

Kaundia Union council is scheduled to go to polls on Jun 4. The ruling party has nominated the incumbent chairman Saiful Alam Khan.

 

The renegade aspirant Shanto claimed that two of his supporters have gone missing since Friday’s clash.

 

Police said they are looking into the allegations and that additional forces have been deployed in the area to avert further violence.