Political offices, rallies for polls campaign were attacked and vehicles torched on Monday night and Tuesday, leaving nine injured in several districts, on the eighth day of electioneering for the 11th general election, slated for December 30.
In Pirojpur, Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) candidate Dr Tapan Basu from Pirojpur 1 constituency came under attack in Pirojpur municipal area on Monday night.
The candidate alleged that a group of miscreants swooped on his chamber around 8pm when he was attending patients.
“They slapped, punched and verbally abused me. I have no enmity with anyone. This attack has been unleashed because of my candidacy in the polls,” said Tapan Basu.
Advocate Bahadur Hossain, president of Pirojpur municipal unit CPB, alleged that former Chhatra League leader Nazim Uddin Sohel led the attack. Sadar police station Officer in-Charge SM Ziaul Haque said measures would be taken after investigating the matter.
In Madaripur, the Kalkini upazila Awami League office was set on fire around 11pm on Monday.
A massive amount of campaign material, including leaflets, banners and festoons were burnt to ashes in the attack, said Awami League sources. Kalkini Awami League General Secretary Mir Golam Faruk blamed the supporters of BNP candidate Anisur Rahman Talukder Khokan for the attack.
Khokan denied the allegation.
In Bogra, two Awami League activists were attacked, allegedly by BNP men, in the Dhunat upazila. Bogra Awami League General Secretary Abdul Hye said the activists came under attack in the Elangi Bazar area while they were returning from a poll campaign around 11pm Tuesday.
Two motorcycles were torched during the attack. He blamed the supporters of BNP candidate Golam Mohammad Siraj. Bogra BNP Convener Touhidul Alam Mamun denied the allegation.
Dhunat police station Officer-in-Charge Ismail Hossain said a case was filed against 71 men including 31 BNP activists in the incident.
In the Bogra 2 constituency, two Jatiya Party men got injured when they came under attack in a remote area of the Shibganj upazila. A case was filed accusing 46 BNP men in connection with the attack, said police sources.
In Barisal, a Jubo Dal leader was critically injured when Awami League men hit him with hammers in the Lakheraj Kosba area in the Gournadi upazila around 8pm on Monday.
The injured Masum Howlader, Jubo Dal joint convener of the upazila unit, was admitted to the Sher-e-Bangla Medical College in critical condition.
BNP sources said a group of Awami League men attacked Masum while he was returning home from a local mosque at night. The upazila unit Jubo League General Secretary Syed Mahbub Alam said Awami League men were not involved with the incident.
In Sirajganj, miscreants hurled bombs at the house of the local Awami League leader Wahed Ali in the Horagati village of the Salonga upazila around 1:30am Tuesday.
Wahed blamed Jamaat men for the attack.
Salonga police station Officer-in-Charge Z Z Md Tajul Huda confirmed the incident.
In Magura, three Awami League men were injured when a group of BNP men attacked the office of the Magura 2 constituency Awami League candidate Biren Shikder at Simakhali Bazar in the Shalikha upazila in the evening.
Locals said a group of BNP men suddenly swooped on the office and vandalized furniture around 6:30pm, leaving three injured.
On information, police rushed in and brought the situation under control, said Tariqul Islam, officer-in-charge of Shalikha police station.
Police have started a drive to arrest the attackers, he said, adding a case would be filed in this connection.
Awami League men attacked and vandalized two BNP offices at Binodpur Bazar and Khalia Bazar in the Mohammadpur upazila and locked these offices, said Rabiul Islam, officer-in-charge of Mohammadpur police station.
Additional police were deployed in and around the spots to prevent any further unwanted situation, the OC added.
In Tangail, Awami League men came under attack in Bhuapur upazila in the early morning on Tuesday and blamed Jamaat men for the attack.
Bhuapur police station Officer-in-Charge Rashedul Islam confirmed the incident.
Our correspondents Arif Mostofa, Pirojpur, Monjur Hossain, Madaripur, Anisur Rahman Sawpan, Barisal, Nazmul Huda Nasim, Bogra, Aminul Islam Rana, Sirajganj, Mazharul Haque Lipu, Magura, and Abdullah Al Numan, Tangail contributed to this story