Clashes between rival BNP factions erupt during anniversary celebrations in Sitakunda causing highway gridlock
Photo Collected
Clashes erupted between two rival factions of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) in Sitakunda, Chittagong, on Tuesday as party members gathered to mark the organization’s founding anniversary. The violence involved multiple crude bomb explosions, the vandalism of several vehicles, and a temporary blockade of the Dhaka-Chittagong highway.
The confrontation took place around 1:00 p.m. in the Hasan Gomosta Mosque area of Sitakunda municipality, involving supporters of former Chittagong North District BNP joint convener Kazi Mohammad Salauddin and those loyal to former BNP joint secretary general Aslam Chowdhury. Witnesses reported intense pursuit and clashes between the two groups, punctuated by the detonation of homemade bombs.
In retaliation for the alleged attacks and vehicle vandalism, supporters of Kazi Mohammad Salauddin blocked the Dhaka-Chittagong highway near the Banshbaria Bazar area at approximately 2:00 p.m. The demonstration brought traffic to a standstill for an hour, causing significant congestion in both directions. Sitakunda police and highway authorities arrived at the scene around 3:30 p.m. to clear the protestors and restore traffic flow. Following the unrest, local bus owners’ associations suspended operations on the Alangkar-Sitakunda route to ensure the safety of passengers and transport workers.
The underlying tension stemmed from a dispute over the use of the Moon Star Club, where both factions had planned to hold commemorative events. Local police had reportedly attempted to mediate by assigning separate time slots to each group, requiring Kazi Mohammad Salauddin’s supporters to conclude their activities by 2:00 p.m. However, friction intensified when supporters of Aslam Chowdhury occupied the club premises early Tuesday morning, prompting Salauddin’s faction to gather nearby at the Hasan Gomosta Mosque area.
Kazi Mohammad Salauddin alleged that his group had obtained prior permission from the local administration for the event, only to be met with violence from armed supporters of Aslam Chowdhury. Conversely, Mohammad Morsalin, a representative for Aslam Chowdhury, denied the allegations of vandalism and bomb attacks, claiming that his faction shifted their program to LK Siddiqui Square due to the hostile atmosphere and that they were the actual targets of aggression.
Sitakunda Police Station Inspector (Investigation) Md. Alamgir confirmed the highway blockade and subsequent dispersal of the crowd. Meanwhile, Sitakunda Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Md. Fakhrul Islam confirmed that two individuals were admitted to the local health complex with injuries sustained during the clashes, though their identities remain unverified.
Md. Khorshed Alam, acting president of the bus and human hauler owners’ association, stated that at least three minibuses were damaged during the violence. He emphasized that services on the route will remain suspended until the local security situation stabilizes.
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