Agitated by not being selected at the new committee of Jatiyatbadi Chhatra Dal’s (JCD) Chittagong city unit, 150 JCD activists went on a rampage in the port city’s BNP office Wednesday.
The protesters blew up two hand bombs in front of the party office. Police have arrested seven of them.
Demanding suspension of the newly-elected committee, they brought out a procession from the city’s Kazir Dewri intersection around 2:30pm, chanting slogans and carrying a banner of JCD Chittagong city unit.
The activists entered the BNP party office at Nasiman Bhaban in Kajir Dewri area breaking its the collapsible gate on the ground floor and torched furniture, banners, festoons and set fire to other materials inside the office, said AKM Mohiuddin Selim, officer-in-charge of Kotwali police station.
Due to the fire, residents of the eight families residing in the five-storey Nasiman Bhaban evacuated the building in panic.
Mir Enamul Haq, resident of the building, told the Dhaka Tribune that he, along with his family members, were scared due to the sudden violence.
Police apprehended six JCD men from Kazir Dewri intersection and one from Love Lane after the incident, the OC said.
A unit from Nandankanon Fire Station rushed to the spot and doused the fire around 2:45pm with assistance of the locals.
After the incident, Shahadat Hossain, general secretary of BNP Chittagong city unit, visited the party office.
He told the journalists: “Some miscreants who are not in the party carried out the violence. If anyone from the party is found involved with the incident, action will be taken against him.
“We will lodge a case in this regard,” said the BNP leader.
Along with his followers, Shahadat later brought out a procession from the office condemning the incident.
A fraction of JCD staged demonstration on Monday claiming that non-students, married persons and businessmen got posts in the new committee.
Shahadat said so far, only 11 qualified and dedicated leaders were selected for the posts in the 181-member committee, and selection for rest of the positions would be done as soon as possible.