18 injured as BNP-Jamaat men clash over forming Kushtia school committee
Police later arrived at the scene and brought the situation under control
A clash broke out between two factions of local BNP and Jamaat men over the formation of an ad-hoc committee for a secondary school in Mirpur, Kushtia, leaving at least 18 people injured.
The incident took place at 3:00pm today (12 January), in Amla union of Mirpur Upazila.
Confirming the incident, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Mirpur Police Station Mominul Islam said the clash took place over a disagreement regarding a committee of the school management.
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"Many people from both sides were injured. The situation is now under control, and additional police have been deployed at the scene.
"If a written complaint is received, an investigation will be conducted, and action will be taken against those responsible," said the OC.
Sujauddin Jordar, secretary of Jamaat's Kushtia unit, said the party had nominated their union's Ameer Nasim Reza Mukul for the post of convener for the school's ad-hoc committee.
"However, BNP leader Rashed Mahmud Nasir had been threatening Mukul to withdraw his nomination," he alleged.
In protest, Jamaat organised a gathering, during which BNP activists launched an attack leaving many of their members injured, he further said.
Jamaat leaders and activists organised the gathering at the school field this afternoon. Jamaat's Deputy Ameer Abdul Gofur was also present at the rally.
During the event, supporters of BNP leader Nasir arrived, and a heated argument escalated into tension between the two sides. Eventually, Nasir's supporters launched an attack. Both sides, armed with local weapons, clashed, reports our correspondent.
Police later arrived at the scene and brought the situation under control.
Six injured were taken to the upazila health complex, and 12 others were admitted to the Kushtia General Hospital.
Dr Hasan Imam, resident medical officer at Kushtia General Hospital, said three people in the hospital were in critical condition, including an elderly person, all with head injuries.
Contacted, Rehmat Ali Rabbani, secretary of the Mirpur upazila BNP's convening committee, said Nasir was once a leader of the student wing of BNP and is now an active member of the party. However, as this is a local dispute between the two sides, he said did not wish to comment further on the matter.
