Bangladesh: Dozens injured in clash between NCP and BNP

Dhaka, March 25 (IANS) Several were injured after a clash erupted between two top political parties in Bangladesh -- the National Citizens Party (NCP) and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).

The violence occurred on Monday night at Jahajmara Bazar in the Noakhali district after both parties organised rallies in the same area, according to some local media reports.

The NCP claimed that over 50 of their leaders, including Senior Joint Chief Coordinator Abdul Hannan Masud, had been injured in an attack allegedly by BNP members. The BNP, however, said 30 of its leaders had been injured during the clash, according to a report by bdnews 24.

NCP's Abdul Hannan Masud told the country's leading daily, Prothom Alo, "We were talking to the people. At that time, some people from the BNP attacked our people. Several of our men were injured in the attack."

However, the local BNP Joint General Secretary Lutfullahil Majid Nishan claimed a BNP man was attacked first.

"Upazila Krishak Dal Convener Abdur Rob was beaten and injured earlier in the evening. When local BNP members staged a protest march, tensions escalated," he stated.

Early on Tuesday, Noakhali Hatia Police Station chief Azmal Huda confirmed that the two sides were engaged in a standoff across the market.

The clash created chaos in the entire area. Police, along with Navy and Coast Guard personnel, were deployed to de-escalate tensions and restore order.

Following this, the NCP staged an impromptu protest march in Dhaka on Tuesday condemning the alleged attack on their leader Abdul Hannan Masud in Noakhali's Hatia and demanded the immediate arrest of those responsible for the attack and their expulsion from their respective political parties.

BNP and NCP have been at loggerheads regarding the issue of upcoming national elections. During a rally this month the BNP Chairperson's Advisory Council member Zainul Abedin Farroque also accused the NCP of creating chaos to delay the elections.

The much-flaunted unity of various political outfits in Bangladesh, which was on full display during the ousting of the democratically-elected Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government in August 2024, seems to be fading gradually.