BNP candidate Khokon, three party men suffer bullet wounds in clash

NOAKHALI, Dec 15 (UNB): BNP candidate for Noakhali-1 constituency Barrister Mahbub Uddin Khokon and three other party activists reportedly suffered bullet wounds and 36 others were injured in a clash between Awami League and BNP men in Sonaimuri municipality on Saturday afternoon.
Witnesses said BNP leaders and activists, led by Khokon, party joint secretary general and general secretary of Supreme Court Bar Association, were returning after holding a rally at the Sonaimuri High School  ground in the afternoon.
When they reached the Sonaimuri Bazar area, a group of Awami League leaders and activists swooped on them around 4:30pm, leading to a clash.
At one stage, police and the ruling party men opened fire on the BNP leaders and activists, leaving at least 40 people, including four with bullets, injured, the witnesses said.
The injured were taken to Noakhali General Hospital where Dr Syed Ahmed Azim, a residential medical officer of the hospital, confirmed that Khokon sustained bullet wounds.
Sonaimuri upazila BNP president Motahar Hossain Manik claimed that when they reached the Sonaimuri Bazar area after their rally, a group of Awami League leaders and activists swooped on them and opened fire on them. Later, police joined the ruling party men, he alleged.
However, upazila AL general secretary Monirul Islam Baker claimed that BNP men attacked their party leaders and activists.