50 hurt as AL rivals clash in Jhenidah

15 March 2009, 18:00 PM

Our Correspondent, Jhenidah.

At least 50 people were injured in a clash between two factions of local Awami League at Kola Bazar under Kaliganj upazila of Jhenidah district yesterday. One faction is led by Abdul Mannan, AL lawmaker from Jhenidah-4 constituency, while the other by Anwarul Azim Anar, secretary of Kaliganj upazila AL. At around 1:00pm on Saturday, the supporters of Anar beat up Shahabuddin, manager of a fertiliser shop belonging to local JP leader Shahidul Islam, also a loyalist of Abdul Mannan, following an altercation over a trifling matter at AL worker Badar Thakur's shop. As Badar Thakur, a supporter of Anar, did not protest the incident, Mannan group became furious and beat him up. He is now undergoing treatment at Kaliganj Upazila Health Complex. As a sequel to Saturday's incidents, two groups equipped with sharp weapons clashed at the bazaar at around 6:00pm yesterday, leaving at least 50 injured. Shops belonging to the supporters of both the factions were damaged during the clash that continued for an hour.