5 injured as Chhatra League factions clash at 14-party alliance meeting in Ctg

At least five people, including the vice-president of Omargani MES College Students' Union, were injured in a clash between two factions of the Chhatra League over chanting slogans at a rally in Chattogram yesterday.

The 14-party alliance led by the Awami League organised the rally in Chattogram city to protest local and foreign conspiracies to disrupt the continuity of the country's peace, stability and development.

Half an hour after the rally started around 4pm in Kotowali Thana Zila Parishad Chattar, Arshedul Alam Bachchu, a member of Awami League sub-committee on science and technology and a former Chhatra League leader, and Wasim Uddin Chowdhury, the vice-president of the Omargani MES College Students' Union, reached there.

Soon after that, the two Chhatra League factions got involved in a clash over chanting slogans, and started throwing chairs and bricks at each other. Omargani MES College Students' Union Vice-President Wasim Uddin Chowdhury suffered a head injury when he was hit by a brick thrown by the opponent.

The clash stopped around 20 minutes later, when 14-party coordinator and Chattogram City Awami League Vice-President Khorshedul Alam Sujon intervened.

Kotowali police station officer in charge Jahidul Kabir told TBS, "There was a clash between the supporters of Arshedul Alam Bachchu and Wasim Uddin Chowdhury over a trivial matter. Wasim, who was injured in the clash, is receiving treatment in a private hospital."

When the meeting resumed after the clash, leaders of the 14-party alliance expressed their extreme displeasure over the rivalry between Chhatra League factions, which got involved in a clash during a rally of the Awami League's Chattogram city unit only three days ago.

Awami League's Chattogram City Unit General Secretary AJM Nasir Uddin said, "All those responsible for the clash will be brought under punishment, disregarding whether they are party leaders or not. Those who are attending the rally with such unruly youths should take responsibility.

"If you have to fight, resist BNP-Jamaat. Do not fight among yourselves. There may be competition in big organisations, but not chaos," said AJM Nasir Uddin.

A leader of Jatiya Party (Manju) unit in Chattogram city said, "This is not an Awami League rally. Our leaders and activists got scared seeing your disorderly behaviour."

Khorshedul Alam Sujan, coordinator of the Chattogram Metropolitan 14-party alliance and vice president of the Chattogram city unit Awami League, said, "Those who are fighting here are taking money from the BNP. We are identifying them and will take appropriate actions regarding the matter."

He also said, "The USA's visa policy does not affect Bangladesh, which is a country of farmers, labourers, and hardworking people.

"Farmers have nothing to do with this visa policy, and it is not up to us to see what will happen to those who have stolen the country's money and laundered it abroad."