BNP factional clash leaves 2 dead in N’ganj

Two people were killed after rival factions of BNP supporters clashed over establishing supremacy in Narayanganj's Bandar upazila on Saturday.

 The deceased were Abdul Kuddus, 70, a mason; and Mehedi Hasan, 42, a former joint convener of the Swechchhasebak Dal's Bandar thana unit. Kuddus was killed near the Bandar rail line and Mehedi near Shahi Masjid, said Narayanganj SP Pratyush Kumar Mojumder.

 Inspector Saiful Islam of Bandar Police Station said one group was led by Swechchhasebak Dal activists Roni and Jafar, and the other by Mehedi, Babu Sikdar, and Shyamal. Both groups were loyal to two former Narayanganj City Corporation councillors Abul Kawser Asha and Hannan Sarkar.

 The factions had clashed earlier on Friday over the same issue, he added. On Saturday afternoon, both groups, armed with sharp weapons, staged shows of force in the Shahi Masjid, Bandar rail line, and Hafajibagh areas.

 Around 10:30pm, Kuddus was allegedly stabbed multiple times when he was near the Bandar rail line. His younger brother said, "He had no political affiliation. He was targeted because his son Parvez was part of the Roni-Jafar faction. They couldn't find Parvez, so they stabbed my brother to death."

 Later, Mehedi was beaten to death by the rival group. His brother-in-law Mahfuzul Haque Sourov, said, "They found Mehedi on the road, picked him up, and took him to Sirajuddoula Club. They beat him in the chest, head, and face. We later found his body in the hospital."

 Abul Kawser Asha told The Daily Star, "Roni and Mehedi were once like brothers... but over the last few months, they've had disputes over local dominance."

Hannan Sarkar could not be reached for comments despite several attempts.

 Police and Rab detained three suspects during overnight raids, SP Pratyush said, adding that two separate murder cases will be filed. Patrols continued in the area till yesterday noon.