1 killed, 40 hurt in violence over party tickets

A man was killed and more than 40 others were injured in violence over nomination in several districts yesterday.

Besides, aggrieved supporters of some leaders who were not nominated by their parties staged demonstrations in different districts. Similar incidents had taken place in other areas the previous two days.

In Natore, a Jubo League leader was hacked to death in Gopalpur of Lalpur upazila yesterday. The victim, Jaharul Islam, 38, was the organising secretary of Lalpur Jubo League.

There had been a longstanding rivalry between Jaharul and another Jubo League leader Mostaq Hossain over establishing dominance in the area. Jaharul was a supporter of Shahidul Islam Bakul, the recently nominated Awami League MP candidate for Natore-1, while Mostaq is a follower of incumbent lawmaker Abul Kalam, local AL men said.

Around 11:00am, some attackers, led by Mostaq, swooped on Jaharul with sharp weapons near North Bengal Sugar Mills, leaving him seriously injured, they said, quoting witnesses.

Jaharul was first taken to a local health complex and then to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital where he died, said police.

Police recovered a motorcycle belonging to Mostaq's brother Monjur Hossain from the scene, and they were trying to detain the attackers, said Lalpur Police Station Officer-in-Charge Nazrul Islam Jewel, adding that the two brothers went into hiding.

No one was detained and no case was filed in this connection when the report was filed around 8:00pm yesterday.

MP Abul Kalam could not be reached for comments despite repeated attempts.

In Barishal, BNP-nominated aspirant for Barishal-4 claimed that at least 20 of his party men were injured in attacks in three places -- Launch Ghat area, Badarpur and Patarhat -- of Mehendiganj upazila between 12:30pm and 2:30pm yesterday. 

The BNP leader, Mejbahuddin Farhad, alleged that AL men carried out the attacks to create panic among BNP men so that they stayed away from election campaigns.

However, AL nominee Pankaj Devnath denied the allegation and claimed that the incidents were “results of the BNP's internal conflict”.

Masud Khan, OC of Mehendiganj Police Station, could not be contacted over phone for comments.

Asked, Mehendiganj UNO and Assistant Returning Officer Dipok Kumar Roy said, “It was nothing serious. Some BNP men were hurt by some AL activists. Police visited the spots and brought the situation under control”.  

Besides, at least two BNP men were hurt as two rival groups scuffled when party leader Mojibor Rahaman Sorwar was submitting his nomination papers to the returning officer for Barishal-5.

The incident happened around noon when the two groups took position in front of the RO's office, said witnesses.

Talking to The Daily Star, the injured -- Sayed Chowdhury Khokon and Masud Hasan Mamun -- blamed each other's group for the incident.

In Munshiganj, at least 20 BNP men were injured in an intra-party clash at Tongibari upazila while the party nomination aspirant for Munshiganj-2, Mizanur Rahman Sinha, was on his way to submit nomination papers.

The clash took place between supporters of Sinha, also former state minister for health and family welfare, and the district unit BNP Vice President Asgar Mallick Ripon, who failed to get party nomination for the same constituency.

Talking to The Daily Star, Sinha alleged that Ripon's supporters suddenly attacked them near the assistant returning officer's (ARO) office.

However, Ripon denied the allegation and said Sinha's supporters attacked them first without any provocation.

At least 10 people were detained in connection with the clash. Both groups were preparing to file cases last night.

In Patuakhali town, a group of AL men, under the banner of “people from all walks of life”, brought out a procession holding brooms, protesting against ABM Ruhul Amin Hawlader, who has been nominated by the Jatiya Party for Patuakhali-1.

The protesters, who termed Hawlader an outsider, were supporters of district unit AL president Shajahan Miah, who has been nominated by the ruling AL for the parliamentary seat.

In Nilphamari, around 500 female supporters of incumbent JP lawmaker Shawkat Chowdhury brought out a similar procession in Kishoreganj upazila town yesterday against Ziauddin Ahmed Bablu, former secretary general of JP, fearing that the latter might submit nomination papers for Nilphamari-4.

However, Bablu did not file nomination papers.

Supporters of Shafi Ahmed, who did not get AL nomination for Netrakona-4, formed a human chain in municipal building area yesterday. They were angry as the party chose Rebeka Momin for the seat.

They demanded that the party reconsider the decision and select Shafi as its candidate.