Two people have been shot dead in a clash between ruling Awami League and BNP at Tebbaria area under sadar upazila in Natore.
Aminul Haq, district BNP general secretary, claimed the deceased to be their activists.
The deceased are Rayhan Hossain Rana, 25, son of Mithun of Naogoan and Rakib, 26, son of Chand Munshi of Tebaria uttarpara village in Natore.
At least 22 others were also injured in the clash.
Witnesses said BNP, Juba Dal and Chhatra Dal members brought out a procession with black flag at Tebaria area around 10:30am on Monday.
Later, they locked into a clash with Awami League, Juba League and Chhatra League members when a procession of the ruling party approach their procession from the opposite direction.
They said both the groups fired bullets targeting each other that left 24 people bullet wounded.
The locals took the injured to sadar hospital and different clinics where. Rayhan and Rakib were declared dead at sadar hospital.
Sadar police station Officer-in-Charge Foridul Islam said the clash ensued around 10am in the area on Monday.
Natore Civil Surgeon Ferdous Nilufar said: “No patients is under treatment at the hospital.”
Aminul Haq, 20-party alliance convener and also district BNP secretary, said: “Awami League activists and their followers attacked on our peaceful procession and fired bullets one after the another.”
“Twenty-two bullet wounded activists have been admitted to various clinics,” he said.
Mashiur Rahman, deputy commissioner of Natore, said: “Additional police forces, Rapid Action Battalion personnel and Border Guard Bangladesh members have been deployed in the area to avoid any further untoward situation.”
Meanwhile, the party called a dawn-to-dusk hartal in Natore for Tuesday, protesting the killing of two activists of the party in a clash with Awami League supporters.
Tension has been prevailing across the country due to the political anarchy and confrontation centring the counter programmes declared by Awami League and BNP.
The BNP had declared to observe January 5 as the “democracy killing day” while the Awami League was set to celebrate “victory day of democracy.”
