United News of Bangladesh

A local leader of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has died after being injured in a clash between supporters of Jamaat-e-Islami and the BNP in Jhenaigati upazila of Sherpur district on Wednesday evening. Rezaul Karim, general secretary of the Sreebardi Upazila unit, succumbed to his injuries around 9:30 pm while on the way to Mymensingh Medical College Hospital, said said Sherpur Additional Superintendent of Police Md. Mizanur Rahman Bhuiyan. Jamaat candidate for Sherpur-3 constituency Mohammad Nuruzzaman Badal said Rezaul Karim was  seriously injured in the clash at Jhenaigati Bazar area earlier in the evening. Following the incident, the district unit of Jamaat-e-Islami brought out a protest rally in Sherpur town. The party also held a press conference in Sreebardi, strongly condemning the killing and demanding justice for those responsible. The clash broke out between BNP and Jamaat supporters  around 3 pm over seating arrangement during a manifesto-reading programme, leaving at least 30 people injured, said witnesses. Six motorbikes along with over 100 chairs were vandalised and set on fire. The programme was organised by the upazila administration for rival candidates of the Sherpur-3 (Sreebardi-Jhenaigati) constituency at the Mini Stadium ground in Jhenaigati. Leaders and activists of Jamaat-e-Islami and the BNP blamed each other for the incident.