At least 15 people were injured in a clash between activists of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami over election campaigning in Borhanuddin upazila of Bhola.
The incident occurred around 8:30 am on Saturday at Chowkider Bari in Mulaipattan village under Ward No 7 of Tobgi union.
Local witnesses said 20 to 30 Jamaat activists, led by Tobgi Union Jamaat Amir Maulana Abdul Halim, were campaigning in support of Maulana Mufti Fazlul Karim, the Jamaat-e-Islami candidate for the Bhola-2 constituency.
Trouble broke out when the campaign procession entered the house of BNP worker Ayub Ali, triggering an altercation that escalated into a clash involving sticks.
Ten Jamaat activists and five BNP workers were injured in the violence.
The injured Jamaat activists were identified as Maulana Abdul Halim, Md Faizullah, Md Imon, Shahel Alam, Md Raihan, Md Shamim, Ratul and Tanjil.
Those injured from the BNP side were identified as Ayub Ali, Shimu Begum, Md Babu, Shamim and Ujjala Bibi.
All the injured were taken to the local health complex, while two critically injured Jamaat activists were referred to Bhola General Hospital for advanced treatment.
Borhanuddin Upazila Jamaat Amir Maulana Maksudur Rahman alleged that the attack was pre-planned and carried out by BNP activists led by Ayub Ali and his brother using locally made weapons, adding that legal steps were being taken.
Advocate Kazi Md Azam, president of Borhanuddin Upazila BNP, denied the allegation and claimed Jamaat activists launched a pre-planned attack on BNP workers, injuring at least five people and vandalising their homes.
Joint forces rushed to the spot after receiving information and brought the situation under control.
Borhanuddin Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md Moniruzzaman said the situation was now calm.
He said no written complaint had been filed by either side so far, but legal action would be taken once a formal complaint was received.
