10 injured in Chhatra Dal factional clash

At least 10 people were injured in a clash between two factions of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) in Akhaura Sadar of Brahmanbaria on Friday over the formation of a new committee.

The clash broke out at around 4pm in the Sarak Bazar area of the upazila.

During the violence, the Akhaura BNP office, which also serves as the political office of local lawmaker Mushfiqur Rahman, was vandalised.

The identities of the injured could not be confirmed immediately.

According to police and local sources, a new Akhaura Chhatra Dal committee was recently formed, with Mobarak Hossain as president and Zakaria Ahmed as general secretary. Both are followers of district BNP member Kabir Ahmed Bhuiyan.

The newly formed committee brought out a celebratory procession in the afternoon. When it reached Sarak Bazar, another group of Chhatra Dal leaders and activists, excluded from the committee, brought out a protest procession led by Chhatra Dal leader Tarikul Islam Rifat.

The protesting faction reportedly follows Mushfiqur Rahman, Member of Parliament from the Brahmanbaria-4 constituency, which comprises Kasba and Akhaura upazilas.

Tensions escalated after supporters of Kabir Ahmed Bhuiyan allegedly provoked the rival group during the procession, triggering chases and counter-chases that eventually led to a clash.

Both sides threw stones and bricks at each other, while several shops and the local BNP office were also vandalised.