30 hurt as BNP, Jubo Dal clash in N'ganj

At least 30 people, including six with gunshot wounds, were injured in a clash between two rival groups of BNP and Jubo Dal over establishing supremacy in Narayanganj's Araihazar upazila this morning.

Among the injured, six with bullet wounds are receiving treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital, police said.

The clash broke out around 10:00am and continued for more than an hour at Khaliarchar Paschimpara village under Kalapaharia union -- a remote river-char area of the upazila, said Mehedi Islam, senior assistant superintendent of police.

Members of both groups were armed with firearms, harpoons, spears, and locally made sharp weapons. The situation was brought under control after additional police personnel were deployed, the police official added.

According to police and locals, a long-standing rivalry between Kabir Hossain, vice-president of Kalapaharia union BNP, and Fakir Jahirul Islam, president of the union Jubo Dal, led to the violence.

The two sides have been locked in a power struggle since the fall of the Awami League government last August, with each group trying to expand its influence and recruit new supporters.

An argument between the followers of Jahirul and Kabir on Friday evening reportedly triggered the full-scale clash yesterday in Khaliarchar Paschimpara.

Police and hospital sources said Khayer Uddin, 42, Abdul Matin, 50, Jonaet Mia, 25, Kalu Mia, 37, Khalilur Rahman, 40, and Al Amin, 25, were taken to DMCH with gunshot wounds.

Others received treatment at local hospitals.

Jubo Dal leader Fakir Jahirul Islam alleged, "Kabir's men are sheltering murder case accused. When the locals protested their movement in the area, Kabir's followers attacked them. Locals then retaliated."

Denying the allegation, BNP leader Kabir Hossain claimed, "Jahirul's followers attacked our people without provocation. Several of our men were injured in the incident."

Senior ASP Mehedi said legal action would be taken over the incident. Police have been deployed in the area.