BCL infighting leaves 21 activists injured

At least 21 activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) were injured yesterday when two rival factions of the district unit clashed at Thakurgaon Intersection in the town over factional enmity.

Of the injured, Jahangir, Rafiqul, Hridoy, Suren, Mohir, Jahangir (Chhoto), Mithu, Pavel, Manik and Pappu were admitted to Thakurgaon Sadar Hospital.

Quoting locals, police said there had been a longstanding rivalry between the two groups -- one led by Rony, president of the newly declared district committee, and Pulok, general secretary of the same unit, and the other by Mizan and Sourav, who were excluded from the new committee -- over establishing supremacy.

After submitting a memorandum at around 11:00am to the deputy commissioner's office, demanding bringing back of Bangabandhu's killers, a group led by Rony-Pulok started gathering at the Thakurgaon Intersection to form a human chain.

An altercation occurred when supporters of Mizan-Sourav group went to the spot and tried to resist the other group from forming the human chain. At one stage, they chased and counter-chased each other, triggering panic in the area.

On information, police went to the spot and fired 13 rounds of rubber bullets to disperse the clashing BCL men, said AKM Mehedi Hasan, officer-in-charge of Sadar Police Station.

At least 21 BCL men from both the factions were injured during the incident, the OC added.