Khulna city polls: Clash during election campaign, 8 injured

A clash broke out between activists of the Awami League and the BNP during campaigning by BNP nominated Khulna City Corporation (KCC) polls mayoral candidate Nazrul Islam Monju at Alamnagar Bazar area of Khulna on Thursday. Seven members of Chhatra Dal and Jubo Dal and one member of Awami League were injured in the clash. The police arrived at the scene and brought the situation under control. A case has been filed in Khalishpur police station against 11 BNP members for assaulting Awami League members. Khalishpur police station Officer-in-Charge Sardar Mosharraf Hossain said: “Both parties became agitated during the Awami League and BNP rallies. The police brought the situation under control. A case has been filed in this regard. We are investigating the matter and trying to arrest the miscreants.” Khulna metropolitan BNP Organizing Secretary Fakhrul Alam said: “On Thursday around 5pm, after interacting with the people of ward 15, we were distributing leaflets in the ward 13 railway slums of Alamnagar Bazar area. Nazrul Islam was present at this time. “During our campaign, Awami League and Jubo League came out with a rally. They were trying to incite violence by verbally abusing BNP members. Meanwhile, mayoral candidate Nazrul Islam carried on with his campaign. “Suddenly the Awami League activists attacked us. Seven people including Chhatra Dal member Alamin Talukder Prince, Jubo Dal member Abdus Samad were injured. Later, the police arrived and the situation was brought under control.” Awami League member Md Abdul Hannan said: “BNP mayoral candidate Nazrul Islam Manju was at Alamnagar Bazar area around 6pm on Thursday. Other BNP activists who were with Nazrul at the time suddenly attacked us. They used blunt weapons such as sticks to break my arm. They also vandalized a boat we had made for the purpose of election promotion.” Later, the locals took Hannan to a hospital. He filed a case at the Khalishpur police station against 11 BNP members that night. Awami League activist Golam Rabbani and Munshi Nazmul Alam said during BNP’s promotional campaign, some people from the rally suddenly starting tearing Awami League’s boat symbol posters. This caused tension between the two parties that led to the clash.