8 held over AL factional clash in Shariatpur  

 
SHARIATPUR, Apr 6: Eight individuals, including the prime accused, have been arrested in a case in connection on Saturday's violent clash between two factions of Awami League in Shariatpur's Zajira upazila, which involved the explosion of over a hundred locally-made crude bombs. They were arrested in separate operations by members of Rapid Action Battalion and police.

Zajira Police Station Sub-Inspector Sanjoy Kumar Das filed a case against 88 named individuals and 800 to 1,000 unidentified persons on Sunday morning under Explosive Substances Act.

The clash erupted yesterday morning in Mulai Bepari Kandi and Durbadanga areas of Bilaspur union between supporters of the Bilaspur Union Parishad Chairman Kuddus Bepari and defeated chairman candidate Jalil Madbor.

Police have since been deployed in the area to maintain order.

Kuddus, the main accused of the case, is a member of the Zajira Upazila AL and the current chairman of Bilaspur Union Parishad. While Jalil Madbor is the former president of local Swechchhasebak League and a defeated chairman candidate.

Officer-in-Charge of Zajira Police Station, Dulal Akand, said seven individuals from both groups were arrested by police following the clash and explosions. Meanwhile, a RAB team arrested the prime accused Kuddus Bepari from Dhaka.

According to local and police sources, Kuddus is a supporter of Iqbal Hossain Apu, central member of the Awami League and incumbent MP from Shariatpur-1. Jalil Madbor is a supporter of BM Mozammel Haque, former MP of Shariatpur-1 and central organising secretary of the Awami League.

Several violent incidents have occurred in the Shariatpur-1 constituency in recent months due to rivalry between these two leaders. Saturday's clash was one of many such confrontations.

According to police, locals and video footages, the enmity led to a series of skirmishes between the two factions throughout the morning in Mulai Bepari Kandi and Durbadanga. Over 100 crude bombs were detonated in a cinematic fashion. Around 16 people were injured by shrapnel from the explosions. Most of them left Zajira Upazila Health Complex after receiving primary treatment, fearing arrest.

Two individuals with serious injuries were transferred to Dhaka Medical College Hospital on Saturday night. One of them, 25-year-old Maruf, lost a wrist, while 55-year-old Hasan Munshi suffered multiple shrapnel wounds.

Superintendent of Police Mohammad Nazrul Islam said many of the participants were relatives who had returned to the village for Eid. With both factions having more supporters present, they engaged in the clash as a show of strength.