Attackers swooped on houses of several BNP leaders, vandalised and torched the party’s Khulna offices during clashes over holding rallies in the city’s Khalispur, the opposition party said on Sunday.
Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) blamed the violence on the activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League and Jubo League, the associate bodies of ruling Awami League.
Khulna Metropolitan BNP convener Advocate SM Shafiqul Alam Mana alleged in a press briefing on Saturday night that Khalishpur BNP office was vandalized and various ward offices were torched.
The attackers also vandalized the BNP leaders’ houses. Nearly 50 activists of BNP were injured during the attack following the clashes, he added.
Jahangir Alam, officer-in-charge (OC) of Khalishpur police station, said the police put a restriction on holding rallies of AL and BNP at the same place in Baikali junction on Saturday afternoon. However, BNP leaders and activists took out a procession in Khalishpur following the ban, said the OC.
As the BNP procession progressed, a clash broke out with AL leaders and workers, leaving several people injured, he added.
“Additional police were deployed in the area to bring the situation under control.”
