Awami League factional clash to ‘celebrate budget’

An altercation between two factions of the Awami League turned violent in Anwara, Chattogram, leaving 18 activists, including Prof Mannan Chowdhury, upazila unit president, and police constable Mohammad Jabber injured.

The clash took place on Friday between supporters of former Lands Minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury Jabed and supporters of current Minister of State for Finance Wasika Ayesha Khan. The incident occurred during a scheduled gathering of both factions at the Upazila's Bandar Center. To control the situation, Karnaphuli Police fired six rounds of blank shots.

During the clash, enraged activists of the Awami League attacked Professor M.A. Mannan Chowdhury, president of the Upazila Awami League, and Kaiyum Chairman and Shahadat Hossain Chowdhury, president of Barumchhara Union Awami League, supported by former Minister Saifuzzaman.

According to local sources, State Minister of Finance Wasika Ayesha Khan's group and former minister MP Saifuzzaman Chowdhury Javed's group organized a rally on the same day to welcome the budget for the fiscal year 2024-2025 in the National Parliament. At one point the two groups clashed.

M.A. Jasim Uddin, the general secretary of Anwara Upazila Awami League, stated, "Our supporters were attacked during the rally organized by our respected MP Saifuzzaman Chowdhury Jabed on Friday evening. We were assaulted when we protested.

Kazi Mozammel Haque, chairman of Anwara Upazila, said, "This incident took place in the presence of the Officer-in-Charge of Karnaphuli Police Station. As a result, four of my activists were seriously injured."

Jahir Hossain, Officer-in-Charge of Karnaphuli Police Station, stated, "To control the situation, police fired six rounds of blank shots and used tear gas shells. One of our police personnel was also seriously injured during the clash. The situation is currently under control, and police forces remain stationed to maintain order. A case has been filed at the scene."