At least 20 people were injured on Thursday morning as supporters of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Jamaat-e-Islami clashed over the formation of a school management committee at a secondary school in Jhenaidah Sadar upazila.
The violence erupted around 9:00am on the premises of Islamapur-Horipur Kobi Fozor Ali Secondary School, following a long-standing dispute between the two political groups over control of the school’s ad-hoc management committee.
Among the injured are BNP supporters Masudur Rahman, Rahmat Ullah, Golam Mostafa, and Imdadur Rahman, as well as Jamaat supporters Shamim Hossain, Mukhtar Biswas, Safar Ali, Tota Mia, and Zahurul Islam. Fifteen of the wounded have been admitted to Jhenaidah Sadar Hospital.
According to local sources, the conflict stems from the formation of a four-member ad-hoc committee around four months ago, in which Zahurul Islam—a known Jamaat supporter and former president of the local Chhatra Shibir unit—was appointed as convener. This decision was opposed by the local BNP leadership, particularly Shahjahan Ali, president of the Moharajpur Union BNP.
When Zahurul and his associates arrived at the school on Thursday, Shahjahan’s supporters reportedly confronted them, leading to a heated altercation that quickly escalated into physical violence. Both sides attacked each other, leaving at least 20 people injured.
Local residents rescued the injured and transported them to the hospital for treatment.
“A police team rushed to the scene upon receiving information and brought the situation under control,” said Abdullah Al-Mamun, Officer-in-Charge of Jhenaidah Sadar Police Station. “Legal action will be taken if any formal complaint is filed.”
Zahurul defended the committee’s legitimacy, stating it was formed with the involvement of education officials and the local administration. He accused BNP supporters of obstructing committee activities and launching an unprovoked attack during their visit to the school.
On the other hand, Shahjahan Ali claimed that he and his group went to the school to defuse tensions but were attacked by Zahurul’s men, who were allegedly armed with sticks and sharp weapons. He also accused them of forcefully occupying the school premises and disrupting academic activities.
Authorities have urged both parties to avoid further confrontation and to allow the school’s academic operations to resume without interference.
