Rival factions of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) traded gunshots and exploded bombs over possession of the central office of JCD at Naya Paltan in the city yesterday on the eve of the 23rd founding anniversary of the organisation.

Witnesses and party sources said a group of armed cadres belonging to the Pintu-Laltu faction all of a sudden came in front of BNP central office in several motor cycles at about 7:30 pm and started firing shots at the JCD office and exploding bombs. The central offices of BNP and its student front JCD are housed in the same building.

Their rivals who were inside come on the street, replied with shots and cashed the "attackers", they said.

Over a dozen shots were exchanged and as many bombs exploded within a couple of minutes, they said.

Some JCD activists claimed that Pintu and Laltu were seen in a microbus, directing the aborted "operation". Panic-stricken passers-by ran for safety during the shootout. None was injured.

Police rushed to the spot but failed to arrest any of the "attackers", they said.

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia on December 23 announced an incomplete new central committee of JCD with Nasiruddin Ahmed Pintu and Shahabuddin Laltu Pintu as its president and general secretary respectively. This sparked off a series of demonstrations by JCD activists in the city and elsewhere in the country against the new committee.

Sources said the Pintu-Laltu faction, as per its announced programme, was due to occupy the central JCD office yesterday morning and hoist the party flag

and the National Flag there on the occasion of its founding anniversary.

A good number of leaders and activists of JCD units at Dhaka University, Jagannath College and other educational institutions as well as from its Dhaka city North and South units took position at the BNP and JCD offices earlier to thwart the move.

When the "attackers" left, JCD activists brought out a procession from in front of BNP central office and chanted various slogans against the new committee allegedly headed by non-students.

It is learnt that JCD activists would guard the office all day and all night and resist the Pintu-Laltu faction from entering the central office.