Supporters of Notun Dhara Bangladesh and the State Dialogue Forum (SDF) clashed inside the emergency department of Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) on Tuesday night after an earlier confrontation near the Jatiya Press Club (JPC), disrupting emergency medical services.

The first clash took place around 7:00pm in front of the JPC. Around 8:30pm, injured members of both groups arrived at the DMCH emergency department for treatment, where fresh violence erupted.

The repeated clashes forced the emergency department to suspend services for about one and a half hours.

According to Notun Dhara Bangladesh, those injured include party Chairman Momin Mehedi, Senior Vice-Chairman Shanta Farzana, Vice-Chairman Dr Nurjahan Neera, Joint Secretary General Monir Zaman, Organising Secretary Atap Mondal and Haridas Sarkar.

The SDF said its Member Secretary ANM Ayas and several of its activists were also injured.

Shanta Farzana alleged that SDF activists, led by Ayas, attacked their torch procession and protest programme near the JPC.

She claimed that after they went to the DMCH for treatment, another group of 20 to 25 people attacked them inside the hospital, leaving several party leaders injured and trapped inside the emergency department.

On the other hand, Ayas alleged that Notun Dhara Bangladesh activists attacked SDF members after they protested remarks allegedly made about July martyr Abu Sayed and religion.

He also claimed that his supporters were targeted again after arriving at the hospital for treatment.

Meanwhile, Fahim Faruqi, central convener of Mancha-24, who also arrived at the hospital, said they would remain at the scene and cooperate with the administration while protesting what he described as offensive remarks about Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, Abu Sayed and religion. He said they would avoid any aggressive behaviour.

Witnesses said panic spread through the emergency department during the clashes, forcing doctors, patients and attendants to flee for safety. Several injured people, including Shanta Farzana, Organising Secretary Atap Mondal and ANM Ayas, were seen receiving treatment.

Additional police and Ansar personnel were deployed to bring the situation under control.

DMCH Director Brig Gen Md Asaduzzaman rushed to the hospital after being informed of the incident and held a meeting with doctors in an effort to restore order.