বাংলাClashes and tension were reported between supporters of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Jamaat-e-Islami in Satkania, Chattogram, on Thursday (October 8). The incident took place around 1pm in front of the Satkania Upazila Health Complex.
Reserved women’s seat lawmaker Shamima Ara Begum Swapna and Chattogram-15 MP Shahjahan Chowdhury were present at the health complex at the time. Md Didarul Haque Bappi, an organiser of Satkania municipality BNP, was reportedly injured in the incident.
The tension reportedly followed a dispute over the inauguration of a 66-metre RCC girder bridge over the Tongkabati canal. The bridge was scheduled to be inaugurated by the reserved-seat MP on Thursday, but Shahjahan Chowdhury inaugurated it a day earlier.
When Shahjahan Chowdhury arrived at the health complex to meet the reserved-seat MP, tension reportedly developed between BNP and Jamaat supporters near the main gate. At one point, BNP-Jamaat clash in Satkania was reported, with supporters getting involved in a physical altercation.
Journalists also alleged that their mobile phones were taken while they were recording the incident. Daily Kalbela’s Satkania correspondent Md Minhaz Uddin said several Jamaat supporters took his phone, damaged it and returned it about 20 minutes later.
Local online journalist Maksudul Islam Chowdhury also alleged that BNP supporters took his phone while he was recording a tense situation near the Upazila Nirbahi Officer’s office and physically harassed him before returning the device.
Chattogram South District BNP joint convenor Mujibur Rahman alleged that Jamaat supporters attacked their activists and injured one person. He said the matter had been reported to the administration and that further organisational decisions would follow a meeting.
Satkania municipal Jamaat Ameer Hamid Uddin Azad said he was not present at the scene. He said he later learned that tension and a physical altercation had occurred over attempts to prevent a meeting with the local MP. He said he was unaware of the allegations involving journalists’ phones.
Satkania Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer Dr Amit Dey said he had not received an official letter about the MP’s visit but was informed by the UNO on Thursday morning. He said the situation outside the hospital had returned to normal when he went there after hearing about the tension.
LGED official Sabuj Kumar Dey said the bridge had initially been scheduled for inauguration by the reserved-seat MP. However, Shahjahan Chowdhury later arranged a plaque and inaugurated the bridge on Wednesday.
UNO Rajib Das Purokayastha said there had been some commotion at the hospital but no tension inside his office. He said the allegation that a journalist’s phone was taken and the journalist was harassed had been reported to the circle officer for action.
Additional Superintendent of Police for Satkania Circle Md Ariful Islam Siddiqui said there had been some commotion between the two sides. He said police presence and monitoring helped prevent a larger confrontation, while the incident is being investigated and legal action will be taken according to the law if necessary.
The BNP-Jamaat clash in Satkania is being reviewed by the local administration and police.
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