At least four people were killed and scores others injured in a clash between two factions of the Tabligh Jamaat over the control of the Ijtema ground at Tongi in Gazipur on early Wednesday.
The government banned any kind of gathering or procession in the areas and asked both groups to vacate the ground.
The authority also deployed a huge contingent of security personnel in the areas.
Police and witnesses said that the clash between the two factions erupted at about 3:30am, when supporters of Maulana Muhammad Saad Kandhalvi went to take control of the Ijtema ground where supporters of Maulana Zubair had already gathered.
During the clash, the groups attacked each other with sharp weapons, iron sticks, bamboo and wooden sticks and bricks.
Both groups blamed each other for the clash and demanded punishment for the perpetrators.
Shaheed Ahsan Ullah Master General Hospital superintendent Afzalur Rahman said that three people died at the hospital where 57 were given treatment.聽
Home adviser retired Lt Gen Jahangir Alam confirmed that so far four people were killed in the clash and warned that the people involved in the incident would be brought to book through a thorough investigation.
After the clash, the home adviser held a meeting with the top leaders of the factions at the secretariat and urged all to keep calm.
Md Habibullah Raihan, a leader of the Zubair faction, said that their supporters were sleeping after daylong activities on the Ijtema ground. Suddenly, Saad鈥檚 supporters attacked the sleeping people at about 3:30am and killed three of their fellows.
The deceased were identified as Bachchu Mia, 70,聽 a resident of Pakundia in Kishoreganj, Belal Hossain, 60, from Dakshinkhan in Dhaka and Tazul Islam, 65, a resident of Bogura Sadar.
Shihab Uddin, a leader of the Saad faction, said that one of their supporters Belal Hossain, 58, a resident of Faridpur Sadar was killed by Zubair鈥檚 supporters.
Belal鈥檚 son Maulana Zonayed said that they arrived near the Ijtema ground at midnight and stayed at Kamarpara for hours.
Suddenly, leaders asked them to take hold of the Ijtema ground at midnight and several thousand people moved together.
鈥業 lost the company of my father and in the morning I came to know that my father was killed,鈥� he said.
He confirmed that his father was killed by using a sharp weapon.
Habibullah said that when Saad鈥檚 supporters attacked them to take control over the ground, they retaliated.
Muaz bin Noor, a leader of Saad鈥檚 supporters, however, alleged that they were attacked while travelling on the way to the Ijtema ground. Zubair supporters blocked their way at various points and threw bricks at them, he alleged.
Shaheed Ahsan Ullah Master General Hospital鈥檚 medical officer Tariq Hasan said that they referred 11 critically injured patients to Dhaka for better treatment.
At Dhaka Medical College Hospital, at least 35 people took treatment while one died while undergoing treatment there.
DMCH police outpost in-charge Mohammad Faruq said that the factions also clashed at the hospital until 1:00pm. Additional forces brought the situation under control.聽
Saad鈥檚 supporters planned to hold Ijtema from December 20 to 25 while Zubair鈥檚 supporters occupied the ground for the long days.
Emerging from the meeting with the home adviser, former Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh joint secretary general Mamunul Haque, also a supporter of Zubair, demanded ban on Saad faction.
He also demanded immediate arrest of and exemplary punishment for the perpetrators.
The Dhaka Metropolitan Police in a public notice on Wednesday imposed a ban on all forms of gatherings, including meetings, processions, and protests, in Kamarpara, Abdullahpur, Uttara Sector-10, and the adjoining areas of the Turag River in the northwestern part of Dhaka.
The ban was imposed with effect from 2:00pm on Wednesday and would remain in place until further instructions.
Bishwa Ijtema is oragnised annually at Tongi on the outskirts of Dhaka.
Earlier in December 2018, a man was killed and more than 200 were injured as the two factions clashed over the control of the Ijtema ground.
After the deadly clash between the two groups in 2018, the congregation was organised separately by the two groups.
As per the government鈥檚 decision, the first phase of the Biswa Ijtema, organised by Zubair鈥檚 followers, is scheduled for January 31 to February 2, while the second phase, led by Saad鈥檚 followers, is scheduled for February 7鈥�9.
Saad followers were trying to enter the Ijtema ground for their preparational congregation scheduled for December 20鈥�25.
The Zubair group held their preparational congregation between November 29 and December 3. The group, however, reportedly kept the ground occupied.
Although the government has permitted the Zubair group to host the first phase, the opposing faction has been reluctant to accept the decision and tensions between the two groups have been brewing for long.
On December 15, a case was filed against 15 Saad followers, including the faction鈥檚 main leader in Bangladesh Syed Wasiful Islam over the allegations of attacking them with reckless car driving on December 12 near the Ijtema ground.
Their rival group led by Zubair Ahmed鈥檚 follower Mohamamd Hossain, filed the case with the Tongi West police station.
Tongi West police station officer-in-charge Habibur Rahman said that a Saad鈥檚 supporter also filed a counter case over the incident.
