At least seven people were injured in an alleged attack by BNP supporters on a rally held by supporters of an independent candidate in the Munshiganj-3 constituency on Friday afternoon.
The incident occurred around 4:45pm in the Sonali Market area of Gajaria Union, where a rally was being held in support of Mohammad Mohiuddin, an independent candidate contesting in the upcoming elections.
The injured individuals, including Mohammad Mamun, 47, Manik Mia, 42, Mohammad Al Amin, 25, Swapan Sarkar, 55, Babu, 40, and Mohammad Zainal, 38, received local treatment at nearby pharmacies following the attack.
Mohiuddin, who was expelled from the BNP after declaring his candidacy as an independent with the football symbol, was a former member secretary of the district BNP convening committee.
He is contesting against Kamruzzaman, the BNP candidate for Munshiganj-3, who currently serves as the party’s Social Welfare Secretary.
Eyewitnesses reported that the violence erupted when a procession supporting Mohiuddin was marching through the area.
The rally, which began near the Gajaria Union Parishad and passed by Gajaria Girls’ School, was heading toward Sonali Market when a group of 20 to 25 individuals armed with sticks attacked the procession. The assault caused the rally to disperse, leaving several participants injured.
Humayun Khan, a supporter of Mohiuddin, condemned the attack and called for accountability. He described the act as outrageous and questioned whether they did not have the right to campaign freely. He also demanded that the authorities take appropriate action.
Mohiuddin also reacted to the incident, asserting that his growing public support in Munshiganj-3 had led his opponents to resort to violence.
“I am contesting to serve the people, and my opponents are now using aggressive tactics to stop our campaign,” he said.
BNP candidate Kamruzzaman Raton denied any involvement in the violence, stating that he was engaged in campaigning in Munshiganj city on the day of the incident.
He called the attack a disgraceful act and made it clear that his party did not take responsibility for it. He further asserted that those responsible should face the consequences.
Gajaria Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Mohammad Hasan Ali confirmed that authorities were investigating the incident. They have sent police officers to the scene and are looking into the matter, he stated.
This attack has raised concerns over the safety of political campaigns in the lead-up to the upcoming elections.
