A protracted internal feud within the student wing of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) erupted into open violence in Rupganj, Narayanganj, late on Wednesday night and continued into Thursday, resulting in multiple injuries and significant damage to party property. The clash, rooted in an ongoing struggle for local political dominance, has alarmed senior BNP leaders and unsettled residents in the area.
Local sources say rival groups within the Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal of Golakandail Union have been locked in tension for several weeks over control, influence and organisational authority. At the heart of the dispute are two factions led by Sazzad Maula Bin Mizan and Rakib Hasan, both serving as members of the Golakandail Union Chhatra Dal committee. Sazzad is considered politically close to BNP central executive committee member Kazi Moniruzzaman Monir, while Rakib is aligned with the political camp of another central executive committee member, Mustafizur Rahman Bhuiyan Dipu. The rivalry between these camps steadily intensified, with repeated confrontations eventually paving the way for violence.
The immediate trigger came on Wednesday night, when Ward No. 8 Chhatra Dal organised a prayer gathering seeking the recovery of BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia. The event was attended by several local leaders and activists, including student leader Masudur Rahman, and passed peacefully. However, according to allegations, shortly after the programme ended, Rakib Hasan and his supporters visited the ward office and issued threats. They allegedly demanded that the office be vacated and warned that portraits of Kazi Moniruzzaman Monir would be removed.
By Thursday afternoon, the simmering dispute had spiralled into a violent confrontation. Members of the Sazzad faction claim that a group of 35 to 40 men, allegedly led by Rakib Hasan along with Shahabuddin, Nazrul, Mosharraf, Babu and Arif Babul, launched a coordinated attack on the Ward No. 8 Chhatra Dal office. The assailants were reportedly carrying pistols and locally made sharp weapons. During the attack, portraits of BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia, acting chairman Tarique Rahman and central leader Kazi Moniruzzaman Monir were smashed, an act widely criticised within party ranks as a serious affront to party discipline.
As members of the Sazzad group attempted to resist the assault, they were brutally beaten. At least eight activists sustained injuries, several of them serious, and were taken to nearby hospitals for treatment.
| Category of injured activists | Number |
|---|---|
| Total injured | At least 8 |
| Seriously injured | Several |
Rakib Hasan has denied all allegations, dismissing them as unfounded. He claimed that antisocial activities were being carried out at the office and that angry local residents, not his supporters, were responsible for the unrest.
Police from Rupganj police station arrived swiftly and brought the situation under control. Officer-in-Charge Tarikul Islam said both groups had been urged to remain calm and confirmed that the situation was currently stable. He added that an investigation was underway and that legal action would be taken following a detailed inquiry.
The incident has once again highlighted growing factionalism within local student politics, raising renewed concerns about internal discipline, leadership accountability and the broader impact of such conflicts on grassroots political stability. SS