Eight BNP activists sustained injuries in an attack carried out allegedly by their rivals in Munshiganj.
Of the injured, three are in critical condition. They are Abdur Rahim, 48, Akter Hossain, 45, and Mominul Islam Fahim, 22.
The incident took place inside the Deobhog Dayahata Baitul Aman Jame Mosque on Friday night.
Mir Sharafat Ali Safu, voluntary affairs secretary of the BNP central executive committee, alleged that people led by local BNP leader Tarikul Islam carried out the attack. He also said Munshiganj‑1 constituency’s BNP‑nominated candidate Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah is the “mastermind” of the attack. Safu is also a BNP aspirant from Munshiganj‑1.
Witnesses said that before the Isha prayers, Safu and Alhaj Momin Ali, a member of the Munshiganj district BNP convening committee, went to Dayahata to attend a janaza. A group led by Tarikul launched the attack on members of the Safu‑Momin Ali group. At that time, eight leaders and activists of the BNP and Chhatra Dal were injured. Other leaders and activists quickly took the injured to the local upazila health complex.
Safu said that while he was praying inside the mosque, he suddenly received information that an attack had been carried out on BNP activists. As the workers ran into the mosque, the attackers also entered and assaulted them.
“I demand the arrest of the attackers, whichever party they belong to,” he added.
Hafizur Rahman Khan, general secretary of Sreenagar BNP and one of the coordinators of the election management committee for Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, said, “None of Abdullah Bhai’s people were present at the time of the incident, which will be evident upon reviewing the CCTV footage.”
“He wants to conduct the election by uniting everyone in the BNP. There is no question of him obstructing anyone. These allegations are completely baseless.”
He also said that many, having failed to secure nomination, are carrying out conspiratorial propaganda against the BNP‑nominated candidate.
Nazmul Huda Khan, officer‑in‑charge (OC) of Sreenagar Police Station, said that as soon as the news of the attack was received, several teams including the ASP Circle, police, RAB, and Detective Branch (DB) visited the scene.
Tarikul’s elder sister has been taken into custody on suspicion of involvement in the incident. Drives to detain others are continuing, the police official said.
