OUR CORRESPONDENT, Noakhali

At least nine people were injured in a series of clashes between the activists of BNP and Awami League, whose activities are currently banned, in Noakhali Sadar upazila on Saturday night.

The violence took place between 5:00pm and 7:00pm in West Shullakia village under Kaladrap union, said Sudharam Model Police Station Officer-in-Charge Mohammad Touhidul Islam.

The OC said he later visited the scene with additional members of law enforcers and found that one AL office room and one motorcycle had been set on fire, while several other motorcycles were vandalised. “Police operations are under way to arrest those involved in the attacks,” he said.

According to locals, activists of the banned Chhatra League brought out a procession at Baderhat Bazar in Noannai Union on Friday.

In protest, the local BNP, its associate bodies and Jamaat-e-Islami held rallies at the same market Saturday afternoon.

As BNP and Jamaat leaders and activists ended their programmes, a group of Chhatra League and AL activists gathered in the area, triggering the clashes, said witnesses.

SUDHARAM OC WITHDRAWN

In a latest development, Noakhali’s Sudharam Model Police Station OC Towhidul Islam has been withdrawn and attached to the Noakhali Police Lines.

The order was issued through a notification signed by Noakhali Superintendent of Police TM Mosharraf Hossain. The SP also confirmed the development to The Daily Star.

OC Kamrul Islam of Sonagazi Police Station in Feni has been appointed as the new OC of Sudharam Model Police Station. He joined his new posting yesterday.

SP Mosharraf said Towhidul’s transfer to the police lines was a routine administrative move.