BNP and Jamaat activists clash in Shariatpur; journalist assaulted while documenting incident
Photo Collected
Tensions flared in Shariatpur’s Jajira upazila on Wednesday as a rally organized by Jamaat-e-Islami to mark the July mass uprising ended in violence, with party members alleging an unprovoked attack by local activists of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). The altercation, which took place in the afternoon near the Jajira Model Mosque, also resulted in the physical assault of a local journalist attempting to document the chaos.
According to witnesses and local sources, Jamaat-e-Islami had organized a procession and discussion meeting at the Model Mosque premises, while members of the BNP and its affiliated wings were holding a separate program nearby at the T&T intersection. Tensions escalated when, according to Jamaat leaders, a group of BNP activists armed with sticks descended upon their gathering before the procession could commence, leaving several Jamaat members injured.
During the melee, Jewel Mia, a correspondent for Bijoy TV, was assaulted while capturing footage of the incident. He was subsequently rescued by bystanders and transported to the Jajira Upazila Health Complex for treatment.
Muhammed Abdur Rob Hashemi, the Shariatpur district amir of Jamaat-e-Islami, asserted that his party had obtained official administrative permission for the event. He blamed Kamruzzaman Milon, general secretary of the Jajira municipal BNP, for the violence and stated that the party is preparing to file a formal legal complaint.
Kamruzzaman Milon has categorically denied the allegations. He maintained that he was leading the BNP procession at the time and was not involved in any clash, suggesting that CCTV footage of the area would exonerate him and his party colleagues.
Local police arrived at the scene and visited the hospital following reports of the unrest. Jajira Police Station Officer-in-Charge Saleh Ahmed confirmed that a scuffle occurred between the two political factions and acknowledged the assault on the journalist. However, authorities noted that no formal written complaint had been submitted as of Wednesday evening, promising that legal action would follow once a report is officially filed.
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