At least 20 individuals sustained injuries during a confrontation between BNP and Jamaat supporters regarding election campaigning in Char Gargari village within Pabna’s Ishwardi upazila on Thursday afternoon, as per reports from the police and local witnesses. The incident unfolded at approximately 4:30 pm when Abu Taleb Mondol, the Jamaat-endorsed candidate for the Pabna-4 constituency, visited the village for campaign activities. Allegedly, a group of BNP supporters initiated an assault on his team, leading to a clash lasting for about an hour.
According to locals, a total of 20 individuals from both factions were harmed, with seven being hospitalized at Ishwardi Upazila Health Complex. Despite not responding to phone calls, Officer-in-Charge of Ishwardi Police Station Abdun Nur previously informed Prothom Alo that the situation was managed, with additional police forces being dispatched. No formal complaint had been lodged as of the latest update at 12:30 am.
Abu Taleb Mondol accused BNP members of attacking his procession, while BNP-nominated candidate Habibur Rahman Habib contended that village residents confronted Jamaat supporters due to alleged misinformation circulating among the locals. Subsequently, Pabna district Jamaat organized a demonstration on Abdul Hamid Road, holding BNP accountable for the assault and urging punitive action against the culprits.
In a recent Facebook post, Jamaat Ameer Shafiqur Rahman asserted that the incident in Ishwardi was not an impromptu occurrence, alleging that the BNP candidate’s confrontational and incendiary demeanor suggested a preference for “enforcing authority through violence rather than ballots.” He emphasized the public’s desire to witness the authorities ensure a just election process and reiterated Jamaat’s unwavering stance against coercion and malpractice, vowing to persist in the battle against terrorism and corruption.