Over 182 injured in nationwide violence

DOT Desk
In Tangail, independent candidate Abdul Latif Siddiqui’s car was attacked during a campaign in the morning.
More than 182 people across the country were injured; offices attacked and cars vandalized in pre-election violence on Sunday as stick, machete and hammer-wielding mobs attacked political candidates and their supporters ahead of the 11th general election. In Tangail, independent candidate Abdul Latif Siddiqui’s car was attacked during a campaign in the morning. At least 20 people were injured during the attack. In protest of the attack, Latif Siddiqui and his supporters staged a sit-in near the deputy commissioner and returning officer’s office in the afternoon. In the evening he started a hunger strike.
In Narsingdi, BNP’s Narsingdi 2 candidate and former information minister Abdul Moyeen Khan was attacked while campaigning in the Pachdona area. Around 50 people were injured in the attack, said BNP chairperson’s media wing official Shairul Kabir Khan. In Natore, at least seven BNP men including three women were injured when Awami Jubo League activists attacked an election campaign with hammers in the Sadar upazila.
Natore 2 constituency BNP candidate Sabina Yasmin, the district unit BNP vice-president and the wife of BNP leader and former Deputy Minister Ruhul Kuddus Talukder Dulu, said in press briefing in the afternoon the Jubo League men attacked her while she was campaigning in the Boubazar area leaving seven critically injured.
In Bhola, Supporters of Awami league and BNP clashed in Borhanuddin upazila, leaving over 30 people injured.
At least five cars and 10 motor cycles were vandalized during the clash.
In Noakhali, at least six BNP men including Senbag Upazila Parishad Chairman Abul Kalam Azad were injured when miscreants attacked them.
In Jhalokathi, miscreants vandalized the BNP office in the Rajapur upazila in the morning.
In Rangamati, supporters of Awami league and BNP clashed in the Baghaichhari upazila of the district, leaving over 20 people injured in the morning.
Police and BGB members brought the situation under control.
Baghaichhari police station Officer-in-Charge Abul Manzurul Islam confirmed the incident.
In Sylhet, miscreants vandalized the motorcade of Sylhet 4 constituency BNP candidate Dildar Hossain Selim in the Noyagaon area while he was returning from an election campaign from Shah Arefin bazaar of the Companiganj upazila in the evening.
In Netrakona, Joly Talukder, Netrakona 4 constituency candidate from the Communist Party of Bangladesh came under attack while she was campaigning in the Manosripara area.
Joly told journalists the ruling party men attacked her while she was busy campaigning.
At least seven people got injured in the attack, she claimed.
In Satkhira, miscreants vandalized cars and microphones of a Jatiya Party candidate in the Nagarghata area of the Tala upazila in the district.
In Chandpur, supporters of Awami league and BNP clashed in the Puranbazar area in Chandpur town, leaving over 20 people including police men injured in the morning.
The injured were sent to a local hospital, police sources said.
In Bagerhat, a BNP candidate and 22 other activists of the party were injured in attacks on two candidates’ motorcades, allegedly by Awami League activists.
Bagerhat BNP president and candidate for Bagerhat 2 constituency MA Salam claimed nine BNP activists were injured and four cars were vandalized in an attack by Awami League activists at the Harinkhana area of the district town in the morning.
BNP candidate for the Bagerhat 1 constituency Masud Rana alleged that he and 11 of his men were injured when Awami League activists attacked them at the Kodalia Bazaar under the Mollahat upazila at noon while he was campaigning.
In Lakshmipur, election campaign office of Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) leader ASM Abdur Rob came under attack in the Ramgati upazila in the evening.
JSD President Tania Rob said Awami League men attacked the office and locked it around 6:30pm.
Two BNP men ‘killed’
BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi told reporters in Dhaka hundreds of BNP men were injured in attacks by Awami League men across the country on Sunday.
He was speaking at a press conference at the party’s Naya Paltan office around 5pm. Rizvi also claimed that two BNP activists had been murdered on Saturday.
“So far they had been attacking and shooting at our campaigns. Now they have resorted to murder,” he said.
“In Dhaka, they attacked the peaceful campaign of Nabi Ullah Nabi last night and beat Jubo Dal leader Ripon Mia to death. In Chittagong a BNP activist was thrown from a roof and killed,” he added.
“Awami League and the law enforcement are carrying out a series of attacks on BNP leaders and candidates in order to foil the election,” Rizvi added.