A leader of the Awami League-backed Bangladesh Chhatra League's BM College unit was severely injured in an attack made by a Sramik League group and locals of Kashipur in Mira Bari area of Barisal city for disturbing them in the small hours on Thursday.
The injured BCL leader, Moin Tushar, joint convener of the BCL BM College unit and recently announced vice-president of the BM College Students' Working Committee, a substitute of BM College Student Union, was first rushed to Barisal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College and Hospital in a critical condition, from where he was sent to Dhaka in the morning for better treatment.
The police arrested an AL activist for his suspected involvement in the clash.
Witnesses said a group of BCL activists on Wednesday night brought out a motorcycle rally in the city to celebrate the newly-formed Barisal city and district units of the organisation.
The rally created traffic jam and tension in the city.
A part of the participants of the rally blessed by the Barisal City Corporation Mayor and AL city unit convener Shawkat Hossain Hiron went to Kashipur area at about 11:30pm apparently for a showdown with a rival group of the party and its affiliated organinsation led by Sramik League Barisal city unit convener Aftab Ahmed and made a showdown, the witnesses said.
The area is controlled by Aftab, also a former chairman of Kashipur Union Parishad and a protégé of Barisal district AL secretary and former chief whip Abul Hasanat Abdullah.
According to witnesses, Aftab's supporters including local AL leaders Syed Monir and Syed Mamun asked the BCL faction led by Moin Tushar to stop disturbing the people of the area so late into the night and to leave the area. The BCL activists, however, misbehaved with the protesting AL leaders and threw brickbats at their houses.
It was when the agitated residents of the locality and supporters of Aftab attacked the rowdy BCL activists and drove them away by chasing and beating. BCL leader Moin Tushar was severely injured in the attack, while his associates fled the scene, leaving three motorcycles.
The police and a team of Rapid Action Battalion rushed to the spot, brought the situation under control, rescued Moin and sent him to the SBMCH at about 12:20am on Thursday.
The police also arrested Tapan Gazi in a case filed with airport police station by Sayem, an associate of Moin, said the officer-in-charge of the police station.
BCL district, city and BM College units brought out a procession in the morning in protest against the attack on Moin on the college campus and also in the city. The participants of the procession assaulted some general students as they did not join in their protest programme.
Source : New Age
