Amir Hamza’s car vandalised in political clash in Kushtia

The car of Jamaat-e-Islami leader and Kushtia-3 lawmaker, Amir Hamza, was vandalised during a clash between the party activists, and members of Gono Ohdikar Parishad at Six-Road Intersection in Kushtia town on Saturday evening.

Chhatra Dal activists also joined Gono Odhikar Parishad in the fight against Jamaat, alleged Jamaat’s Kushtia district unit Ameer Khondokar AKM Ali Mohsin.

The fight started after Jamaat activists “attempted to resist” the aggressive activists of Gono Odhikar Parishad and Chhatra Dal, he claimed.

Jamaat would file a lawsuit over the clash, he added.

According to police and eyewitnesses, Gono Odhikar Parishad (GOP) activists were staging a rally next to the Thanapara Jame Masjid near the six-road intersection, protesting recent negative remarks by Amir Hamza against GOP leadership at a public gathering.

While the rally was continuing, Amir Hamza was returning home from an event at Islamic University, Kushtia. The lawmaker’s vehicle was surrounded by police and RAB vehicles for security purposes.

When the vehicle convoy, which also included motorcades of Jamaat activists, approached the GOP protest site, GOP members were chanting anti-Jamaat slogans.

At one point, activists from both the parties started pushing one another to make their way. Then, both groups started throwing brick chips at the other despite heavy security presence.

Jamaat activists led Amir Hamza out of the car, to safely walk him to his home. Brick chips were thrown targeting his car, leaving at least one windshield broken, but the lawmaker was unharmed.

The clash continued for around five minutes, sparking panic in the area. Police and RAB moved to bring stability to the area. Additional police were later deployed.

BNP’s Kushtia District unit Member Secretary Jakir Hossain said Chhatra Dal, BNP’s student wing, did not cause any violence, adding that Jamaat was falsely putting the blame of GOP on Chhatra Dal.

Chhatra Dal were there only to mediate the furore, and successfully moved both the opposing groups away from the road, Jakir Hossain said.

According to eyewitness, about half-an-hour later a group of supporters of Amir Hamza, armed with sticks, launched a counterattack on GOP’s Kushtia district office. Later, they also vandalised the office of GOP Kushtia unit General Secretary Abdul Khalek near the Six-Road Intersection.

The Jamaat activists also threatened journalists who had reached the spot to report the incident.