Leaders and activists of Jamaat-e-Islami and BNP clashed over front-row seating during an Independence Day parade in Bauphal upazila of Patuakhali on Thursday.
The incident occurred around 10:00 am at the municipal public ground, where the programme was organised by the upazila administration. The two sides engaged in a clash in front of the Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO), Assistant Commissioner (Land) and police officials, who later brought the situation under control.
According to eyewitnesses, Jamaat leaders, including upazila ameer Maulana Md. Ishaq Mia and secretary Md. Khalidur Rahman, took seats on one side of the reserved front row before the event began. Later, former BNP MP and freedom fighter Shahidul Alam Talukder entered the venue with 40–50 party members and took seats on the other side along with his wife Salma Alam.
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Tension escalated as many BNP and its associate organisation members could not find seats due to limited chairs. At one point, upazila Chhatra Dal president Abdullah Al Fahad asked Mujahidul Islam, a former Chhatra Shibir leader and representative of a local MP, to vacate a chair, triggering an argument that soon turned into a scuffle.
Police Inspector Atikul Islam and Assistant Commissioner (Land) Md. Sohag Milu intervened, temporarily calming the situation. However, shortly after, a second round of clashes broke out following another altercation between the two sides.
Eventually, UNO Md. Saleh Ahmed, with the help of police, restored order and ensured the programme continued without further disruption.
BNP leaders alleged that Jamaat activists occupied all front-row seats and attacked their members when asked to vacate them. Jamaat leaders, however, claimed they were attacked first by BNP activists.
Police said the clash stemmed from a misunderstanding over seating arrangements and no formal complaint had been filed as of filing this report. Officials described the incident as unfortunate but said the programme concluded peacefully.
UNO Saleh Ahmed said, Such incidents during a national programme like Independence Day are unfortunate. The situation could have been avoided through prior coordination with the administration.
In a separate incident earlier in the day, tension also erupted at a reception for freedom fighters and families of martyrs at the Patuakhali Shilpakala Academy following controversial remarks by Jamiat-e-Ulama leader Abdullah Haq Kawsari regarding Bangabandhu’s role in the Liberation War. The situation was later brought under control by the district administration.