At least eight people, including a woman, were injured in clashes between two factions of the BNP in Gazaria on Friday evening over the party’s nomination for the Munshiganj-3 constituency. Several vehicles and a private office were vandalised during the violence, prompting authorities to deploy additional police as tension gripped the area.
Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Mahmudul Hasan visited the spot and urged all sides to maintain peaceful coexistence.
The clash erupted around Jamaldi Bus Stand area in Hossendi Union. Two of the injured—Swadhin, 28, and Saidul, 25—were critically hurt and shifted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital. The others, including Shirina Begum, 46, Delwar, 49, Mostafa, 48, Sujon, 23, Asif Mir, 19, and Nayon, 26, received local treatment.
Police said the escalation followed BNP’s announcement on Dec. 4 of 36 new candidates, including Kamruzzaman Ratan, central social welfare secretary, for Munshiganj-3. Supporters of district BNP member-secretary Mahiuddin Ahmed, who was not nominated, expressed anger, triggering rising tensions between the two groups.
Local shopkeepers said Mahiuddin’s supporters were preparing a torch procession near Sahera Market around 5pm when they came face-to-face with supporters of Ratan—led by Jubo Dal joint convener Masum Ahmed and BNP leader Momin Mridha—resulting in a violent clash.
Ali Hossain, Jubo Dal joint convener, alleged that his group was attacked while preparing for a peaceful torch procession, and that his car and office were vandalised. In contrast, Momin Mridha claimed they were preparing a victory procession when shots, crude bombs and brickbats were hurled at them from Ali Hossain’s office.
District BNP leader Masud Faruk dismissed the incident as an intra-party clash, claiming locals were celebrating Ratan’s nomination and resisted “Awami-backed miscreants.”
Gazaria Police Station OC Anwar Alam Azad said the situation was brought under control quickly and that police remain on alert.
Earlier, Mahiuddin’s supporters blocked Munshiganj’s Mukterpur Bridge for 90 minutes in the afternoon, causing severe traffic disruption. They withdrew after issuing a 48-hour ultimatum demanding reconsideration of the nomination and warning of nonstop programmes by road and river if it is not reversed.