Dhaka: At least 35 people, including five journalists, were injured in a violent clash between supporters of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the National Citizens Party (NCP) during a protest rally in Cumilla’s Muradnagar Upazila on Wednesday evening, according to local media reports.
The confrontation erupted after NCP supporters, under the banner “People from all walks of life of Muradnagar Upazila”, staged a rally to protest what they claimed was a smear campaign against Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain, a local government advisor in the interim administration.
Tensions flared when rally participants began chanting slogans in support of Bhuyain, including calls for action against alleged extortionists.
Eyewitnesses told Prothom Alo that the situation escalated after stones and bricks were hurled at the NCP rally, allegedly by BNP supporters.
This triggered a retaliatory attack, as both sides engaged in a violent exchange of brickbats, turning the area into a flashpoint of unrest.
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Several bystanders, including journalists covering the protest, were caught in the melee and sustained injuries.
As the violence spiraled, panic spread through the commercial area. Shopkeepers quickly shuttered their businesses, and residents were seen fleeing the scene in fear.
Local authorities are yet to confirm the identities of the instigators or make any arrests as investigations are underway.
