AL fronts clash over tender, 2 killed, 40 held

Two, including an 8-year old, were killed in an armed clash between two groups of Bangladesh Chhatra League and Juba League over a railway tender bid in Chittagong City on Monday.

The clash between the student and youth fronts of the ruling Awami League took place at CRB Saatrasta intersection near railway’s eastern headquarters at around 12pm, witnesses said.

Police have also arrested 40 people including one Chhatra League central leader for their suspected involvement.

BCL has expelled the arrested leader Saiful Alam Limon, an Assistant Secretary in the central committee. He was seen to be leading one of the groups during the armed battle, according to the witnesses.

The deceased were identified as Arman Hossain, 8, and Saju Palit, 24, residents of a slum in the area.

Achhia Begum, Arman’s mother, told bdnews24.com that his son was caught in the gun battle when he had gone out to play. Arman was shot in the head and died on the spot.

Saju was sitting on a roadside tea stall near the clash site when a bullet hit him in the head, witnesses said.

Doctors declared him dead after he was rushed to Chittagong Medical College and Hospital.

Kotwali Police Station Inspector (Investigation) Nezamuddin said the armed clashes erupted following a dispute and running battles between the groups of Chhatra League and Juba League over a tender for a Tk 4.8 million renovation project of Feni Railway Station.

“Around 20 rounds of gunshots were fired at the time,” he said.

Earlier, a group from contractor firm Royal Associates, owned by Juba League leader Didarul Alam, also a former BCL metropolitan unit leader, had gone to submit bid at the railway’s eastern headquarters.

But they were obstructed by supporters of central Juba League leader Helal Akbar Chowdhury Babar, Chittagong University BCL leader Tarekur Rahman claimed.

Tarek, a supporter of Didarul Alam, told bdnews24.com: “Babar’s supporters started shooting at one point following an argument and running battles.”

He alleged ‘Ajit’, Khokan Tapi, ‘Pintu’, ‘Chhoton’ and ‘Amit’ led the Babar supporters during the clashes.

Alam is a known follower of the ruling party’s Chittagong metropolitan unit leader AJM Nasir Uddin. On the other hand, Babar is a supporter of senior party leader ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury.

Inspector Nezamuddin said Limon and 39 others were arrested in raids in the port city's CRB and Nandankanon after the clashes.

Kotwali police OC AKM Mohiuddin Selim told bdnews24.com 19 of one group were detained from in front of the Mela Community Centre near the railway Polo Ground and the rest were from in front of Nandankanon's Bahadur Nursery.

Apart from Limon, the arrestees include Chhatra League's Chittagong University unit Organising Secretary Alamgir Tipu, Cultural Affairs Secretary Jamir Uddin and Chittagong Commerce College Vice-President Hasmat Ali Russell.

They are supporters of Didarul Alam. The rest 21 support Babar.

CMP Additional Deputy Commissioner (South) Mostak Ahmed told reporters they were looking into the involvement of arrestees in the deaths and clashes.

Asked whether police were deployed to avert any confrontation over the tender, he said the law keepers were at the tender bidding site. "But the clashes erupted abruptly outside."

The ADC promised a fair probe 'without political influence' as names of the ruling party's youth and student wings had come up.

"A case is being filed over the incident,” he said, adding all those involved will be caught.

However, the student front has distanced itself from the skirmish. In a media statement, its President HM Badiuzzaman Sohagh and General Secretary Siddique Nazmul Alam said there was no active committee of Chhatra League in the port city.

"None have been ordered to work for the organisation at any level there," the statement said.

But in a press release in the afternoon, the front said it was permanently expelling Limon for his involvement with anti-organisational activities.