At least 50 people were injured as two factions of the ruling Awami League clashed at Bagha upazila in Rajshahi on Saturday.
Of the injured, 18 were admitted to Bagha Upazila Health Complex while Bagha upazila AL general secretary Ashraful Islam Babul and Arani union parishad chairman Rafiqul Islam were referred to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital in a critical condition.
According to the police, locals and the injured, supporters of Bagha upazila parishad chairman and Rajshahi district AL joint general secretary Layeb Uddin Lavlu and Bagha municipality mayor and district AL member Akkas Ali formed a human chain in front of the municipal building at 10:30am protesting against corruption and irregularities of the upazila deeds writers association.
On the other hand, supporters of lawmaker Shahriar Alam also gathered in front of the Bangabandhu Chattar premises, about 100 yards from the other group鈥檚 human chain, protesting against corruption, nepotism, arbitrariness and violent activities of mayor Akkas Ali.
At one stage of their programmes, the duo groups 鈥� one led by and Pakuria union parishad chairman Merajul Islam Meraj and another by upazila AL general secretary Ashraful Islam Babul 鈥� locked into a clash at about 10:40am, leaving at least 50 people from both sides injured, witnesses said.
During the clash, AL leaders and activists exploded several crude bombs and were seen carrying machetes and iron pipes among other things.
Later, the law enforcers fired tear gas shells and rubber bullets to disperse the duo groups and brought the situation under control at about 11:20am.
Mayor Akkas Ali was not available for his comment as his mobile phone was found switched off.
Pakuria union parishad chairman Merajul Islam Meraj told 抖阴精品 that they, along with conscious citizens, organised the human chain to protest at collecting extra money from the people by the upazila deeds writers association.
He alleged that their rival group led by upazila AL general secretary Ashraful Islam Babul carried out a sudden attack on their peaceful programme.
Wahed Sadiq Kabir, former organisational secretary of Bagha upazila AL, alleged that mayor Akkas and his men carried out an attack on their peaceful programme without any provocation, leaving over two dozen injured.
Aminul Islam, officer-in-charge of Bagha police station, said that none lodged any complaint with the police station till Saturday afternoon.
鈥楢dditional law enforcers have been deployed in the upazila to avoid any untoward incident,鈥� he added.
