At least 14 people were injured in a clash between supporters of two chairman candidates at the Ishwardi upazila parishad election on Friday evening, ahead of the third-phase upazila election to be held on May 29.
Chairman candidate Abul Kalam Azad Mintu alleged that when his supporters were campaigning in Piyarakhali Mandalpara area at about 8:00pm, a group of 14 to 15 people, led by Abir Hossain, the president of the Upazila Chhatra League, a supporter of the other chairman candidate Emdadul Haque Rana Sardar, attacked them with sticks and locally made weapons.
鈥楾hey beat me with sticks and locally made weapons and injured 7 to 8 of my supporters,鈥� Abul Kalam Azad Mintu said.
Shortly after the attack, the supporters of both candidates clashed with each other at the same place, leaving at least 14 people injured on both sides.
Four of the injured were admitted to the Ishwardi Upazila Health Complex. They are Parash Sheikh, former general secretary of the Juba League, Mizan Mandal, Amirul Islam, and Moniruzzaman Majumdar.
Abul Kalam Azad Mintu further said that the attack was an attempt to hinder people鈥檚 participation in the election by disrupting the atmosphere. He also demanded exemplary punishment for the attackers.
However, chairman candidate Emdadul Haque Rana Sardar said that when my supporters went to Pyarkhali Mandalpara area to seek votes, the supporters of Abul Kalam Azad Mintu attacked them.
At least 5 to 6 of his supporters were injured in the attack, he claimed.
Additional superintendent of police Biplab Kumar Goswami of Ishwardi Circle said that he heard about the incident of the clash.
He added that the required action would be taken after receiving a written complaint in this regard.
