Case filed over Companiganj AL factional clash

A case has been filed on Friday night over the afternoon shootings between two local Awami League factions at Companiganj upazila in Noakhali.

In the clash, supporters of the upazila's Basurhat Municipality Mayor Abdul Quader Mirza and Noakhali District Awami League Organising Secretary Mizanur Rahman Badal allegedly fired on each other at Chaprashirhat East Bazaar in the upazila.

Badal, also a former upazila chairman, filed the case with Companiganj Police Station on Saturday, accusing 44 people of being involved in the firing.

 Quader Mirza and Badal held two separate press conferences also over the clash on Saturday, where they accused supporters of each other of firing on each other.

Meanwhile, Quader Mirza's previously announced hartal and sit-in programmes at Basurhat Rupali Chattar were foiled by police baton charge, injuring at least 15 leaders and activists.

Police attacked peaceful sit-in: Mirza

At a press conference at around 11am on Saturday, Mayor Abdul Quader Mirza alleged that the police had inflicted injuries on his leaders and activists by baton-charging them during the peaceful sit-in.

He claimed that police vandalised chairs, publicity mics and generators at the sit-in venue at Basurhat Rupali Chattar.

Mirza announced a human chain programme in Basurhat on Monday morning in protest of the shootings at Chaprashirhat Bazaar in collaboration with the police on Friday.

He said if our demands are not met, a memorandum will be submitted to AL chief and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

AL demands expulsion, arrest of Quader Mirza

Leaders of various levels of the upazila AL held a press conference on Saturday noon at Peshkarhat Road in the upazila, demanding expulsion and arrest of Quader Mirza.

Noakhali District Awami League Organising Secretary and former Upazila Chairman Mizanur Rahman Badal read out a written statement at the press conference.

He alleged that Quader Mirza went to America in the name of medical treatment and had several meetings with the fugitive BNP leader Tarique Rahman. With the blessings of BNP-Jamaat, Quader Mirza has gone on a rampage, resorting to unethical strategies, to destroy the politics of Awami League.

"To fulfill his ill motive, like a madman, he is making fake allegations being lost in the dream of becoming a lawmaker after becoming a municipal mayor winning an engineered election," Badal said.

"On the condition of getting parliament election nomination from BNP in the absence of Moudud Ahmed, he has resorted to spreading confusion in the minds of the people by lying against the government and the Awami League," he alleged.

 At the press conference, Badal also alleged that Mayor Mirza, his son Tashiq Mirza and his party leaders and activists are involved in various crimes including murders, tender manipulation, numerous incidents of insulting the leaders and activists of the Awami League and extortion in different sectors.

He demanded arrest of 'the undeclared godfather of terrorism Mayor Mirza' and permanment expulsion from Awami League. He observed that Mirza should be sent to a psychiatric hospital.

He declared that a protest rally will be organised by Awami League against Quader Mirza at 3pm on Monday at Rupali Chattar in Basurhat.

Among others, the press conference was also attended by Mahbubur Rashid Monju, former BCL general secretary and also nephew of Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader; Bankers Parishad member Fakhrul Islam Rahat, AL leader Hasibus Shahid Alok, former BCL leader Hasib Ahsan Alal and AL Charkankara union unit's general secretary Mahbubur Rahman Arif, general secretary of Upazila Swechchhasebak League Nazrul Islam Shahin Chowdhury, chairman of Charelahi UP Abdur Razzak and freedom fighter Kazi Abul Bashar.

Morer cases over Friday's clash in the offing

Meanwhile, Ayub Ali, an American expatriate and supporter of Quader Mirza told TBS that preparations are underway to file two cases in connection with the attack on Quader Mirza's supporters in Chaprashirhat.

Earlier, Mizanur Rahman Badal filed a case with the Companiganj Police Station against Quader Mirza's supporters on Friday night.

A number of 44 people including Jamal Uddin Liton, chairman of Charfakira Union Parishad No. 5, American expatriate AL leader Ayub Ali and BCL leader Arif have been accused in the case.

Mirza, his supporters attacked thana: OC

Companiganj Police Station OC Mir Zahidul Haque Rony claimed to TBS that Quader Mirza and his supporters came to attack the police station, armed with sticks, on Saturday morning.

The OC said, "Quader Mirza threatened to drive out the OC and inspectors from the police station. When Quader Mirza attacked the senior police officers and tried to enter the police station with his supporters by force, the police dispersed them by charging with sticks."

He said to avert further untoward situation as well as to bring the situation under control, the district administration has deployed two executive magistrates in Companiganj, besides 40 RAB members and 110 police personnel.