Over 50 injured in BNP–Jamaat clashes in Sherpur

More than 50 leaders, activists and supporters of BNP and Jamaat have been injured in violent clashes in Jhenaigati upazila of Sherpur.

The clashes broke out on Wednesday afternoon during a manifesto reading programme organised by the upazila administration at Jhenaigati Stadium ahead of the 13th national parliamentary election and referendum.

According to the upazila administration and local sources, the programme involved rival candidates from Sherpur-3 constituency, Sribardi–Jhenaigati. However, before the programme began, an argument erupted over control of seating chairs at the stadium, which later escalated into clashes.

Jhenaigati upazila BNP member secretary Lutfor Rahman claimed the programme was scheduled to start at 2:30 pm, but when they arrived around 2:00 pm, all 500 chairs had already been occupied by Jamaat-Shibir activists. He said the issue was raised with the upazila nirbahi officer, who asked Jamaat candidate Mohammad Nuruzzaman Badal to cooperate. When no response came, Jamaat-Shibir activists allegedly attacked BNP leaders and activists, injuring 25 to 30 people, including former upazila BNP general secretary Abdul Mannan and Jubo Dal joint convener Saiful Islam.

He further alleged that 800 to 1,000 Jamaat-Shibir activists had been present at the venue with rods and sticks in a pre-planned manner.

Rejecting the BNP allegations, Jamaat-nominated candidate Nuruzzaman Badal said BNP activists attacked their supporters without provocation before the programme began, leaving over 50 of their activists injured. He claimed the injured were unable to seek treatment at the upazila health complex due to fear of BNP activists and alleged that the U.N.O present at the scene failed to take effective action.

In protest against the clashes, upazila BNP held a protest rally at Jhenaigati Bazar around 5:00 pm. BNP-nominated candidate Mahmudul Haque Rubel urged party activists to remain calm and refrain from taking the law into their own hands.

However, after the rally, clashes resumed intermittently between the two sides and continued until around 6:30 pm. Several more people were reportedly seriously injured. Police and army personnel are working to bring the situation under control.

Jhenaigati upazila nirbahi officer Md Ashraful Alam Russell said the clashes occurred due to an argument over seating before the programme began. He said the BNP candidate was not present at the time, while the Jamaat candidate was there and tried to calm the situation.