Police arrest Noakhali Awami League leader Badal after deadly clashes

The police have arrested Mizanur Rahman Badal, a local Awami League leader and former chairman of Companyganj Upazila Parishad, amid simmering tension after deadly clashes between rival factions of the party.

The charges against Badal will be revealed later, the police said after arresting him in Maijdee town on Thursday.

Badal, organising secretary of the ruling party’s Companyganj Upazila unit, has multiple cases against him, said Md Alamgir Hossain, the district’s superintendent of police.

Tension has been running high in Companyganj since Abdul Quader Mirza, mayor of Basurhat Municipality and younger brother of Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader, publicly criticised some leaders of the party.

His rivalry with local leaders sprang out in the open at the time as they began organising protests and counter-protests.

Amid the situation, a journalist was shot during clashes between the supporters of Mirza and the followers of Badal at Chaprashirhat Purbo Bazar on Feb 19. He died in hospital the next day.

Khizir Hayat Khan, president of the Awami League’s Companyganj Upazila unit, was assaulted allegedly by Mirza and his men on Monday.

Supporters of Mirza and Khizir clashed on Tuesday during protests against the assault on Khizir. A party worker died in the clashes.

Obaidul Quader on Wednesday warned against violence in Noakhali saying no one will be spared over the deadly clashes.

The road transport and bridges minister on Thursday said the police arrested around 100 people in connection with the clashes.