At least ten people were injured in clashes between two factions of the BNP in Gazipur on Sunday evening over the party’s nomination for the Gazipur-1 constituency.
Supporters of Dr. Barrister Ishraq Ahmed Siddiqui, who was denied the nomination, also saw their election office attacked and vandalized during the clashes. A torch procession was held demanding a cancellation of the nomination.
According to local sources, Siddiqui, the member secretary of the district BNP, called for a protest procession on Sunday afternoon. When his leaders and activists gathered at various points in the Palli Bidyut area of the upazila, miscreants suddenly attacked them.
At least ten people from both Siddiqui’s camp and supporters of BNP-nominated candidate Mujibur Rahman were injured. Some of the injured were later taken to hospitals for treatment. Several motorcycles were set on fire, but firefighters quickly extinguished the flames.
Supporters of Siddiqui alleged that Mujibur Rahman’s followers carried out the attacks, with some caught red-handed. Mujibur Rahman’s supporters, however, claimed that Awami intruders staged the incidents to create controversy over the nomination.
Earlier, on Saturday night, Siddiqui’s supporters held a torchlight procession in the Konabari area, demanding that BNP cancel Mujibur Rahman’s nomination in his favor.
Last Thursday, BNP nominated Mujibur Rahman, a former mayor of Kaliakair Municipality and a member of the BNP executive committee, for the Gazipur-1 seat.
Several central BNP leaders had been seeking the nomination.