BNP foils AL pogrammes in Mehendiganj, Agoiljhara

At least 20 AL activists were injured in the incidents. Eleven of them have been admitted to local hospitals.

BNP activists bought out a procession at Agoiljhara upazila town in the morning to observe the 62nd birthday of their party chairman Khaleda Zia.

AL activists organised a programme at Fakirbari just outside the upazila town. AL activists from Vascar village in Goila area were coming to the upazila town in a procession to join a party programme. As they approached the upazila headquarters at about 10 am, BNP men attacked the AL procession at Fakirbari.

At least eight AL activists were injured there. Four of them-- Kamol Biswas, Narayan Biswas, Samir Mukharji and Subroto Baroiwere admitted to the upazila health complex.

Police swung into action and prevented the AL activists from entering the upazila town venue.

Later AL activists staged a sit-in for about half an hour protesting the attack and held a Milad Mahfil and other programmes at the Goila AL office.

In Mehendiganj upazila headquarters, BNP activists staged a show down Monday night, allegedly to resist AL programmes.

To avoid clash, AL shifted the pogramme venue to the Helipad area, about two kilometers from the town.

BNP activists attacked and foiled the AL programme there at about 11 am.

At least six AL activists were injured. Three of them including Jubo League leader Nazim Mahmud Talukdar, upazila Chhatra League convener Habibur Rahman Khokon and activist Khairul Bashar were admitted to local health complex.

At about 12-30 pm, Shaha-buddin, Jubo League leader and son of former lawmaker and district AL president late Mohiuddin Ahmed reached Mehendiganj from Barisal in speed boat.

BNP cadres attacked Shihab and his associates, leaving six of them injured. Four of them --Samrat, Julhas, Monir and Hanif were admitted to the local hospital.

Tension prevailed in those areas when the report was filed yesterday evening.

However, programmes including hoisting of black flags, mourning processions, discussion meetings, quran-khwani, Milad Mahfil and feeding the destitute were observed peacefully in Barisal city and elsewhere in the district.