Gunfight, Blasts in Shariatpur: One killed, 25 hurt in AL factional clash

A Jubo League leader was killed and at least 25 others were injured, including 15 by bullets, in a gunfight between two rival groups of Awami League in Andharmanik Bazar area of Shariatpur yesterday evening.

Deceased Iqbal Hossain, 25, was the vice president of Rajanagor union Jubo League, the youth front of the ruling AL, in the district's Naria upazila.

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Police and locals said a group of supporters of Dadon Mirbohor, president of Rajanagor union AL, attacked some followers of Zakir Gazi, chairman of Rajanagor Union Parishad and also a local AL leader, at Andharmanik Bazar around 2:00pm.

Later, supporters of Zakir vandalised a shop owned by a member of the rival group.

The attack and counter-attack triggered the gunfight in the area around 6:00pm, causing the casualties. Over 100 crude bombs were blasted during the clash.

Locals rushed bullet-hit Iqbal to Shariatpur Sadar Hospital where doctors declared him dead. The injured were undergoing treatment at the hospital.

Locals said there was a rivalry between Mirbohor and Zakir over the last union parishad elections. The two feuding groups clashed on 10 previous occasions in the area. 

AL sources said Mirbohor was a supporter of local AL lawmaker Shawkat Ali, while Zakir was a follower of Naria upazila Chairman Ismail Huq.

Ikbal's father Amin Fakir is the publicity secretary of Rajanagor union AL.

Talking to reporters, he said supporters of Zakir shot his son dead. He demanded arrest and punishment of the killers.

Zakir, however, refuted the allegation saying he had no idea about the attackers of Iqbal.

Ehsan Shah, additional superintendent of police in Shariatpur, said the clash took place over establishing supremacy in the area.

Additional policemen were deployed in the area to avoid any deterioration in law and order, he added.