BNP’s Internal Feud: 2 Killed in Narayanganj Clash Over Dominance, Extortion, and Control

Staff Reporter

Two people have been killed in a clash between two factions of BNP in Narayanganj’s Bandar upazila over dominance and extortion. The casualties occurred during continuous unrest and violence across various areas of Bandar between 9:30 PM and 11:30 PM on Saturday (June 22). Locals fear further casualties.

The deceased have been identified as Abdul Quddus (70) and Md. Mehedi (35). Quddus was a follower of Abul Kawser Ashar, joint convener of metropolitan BNP and former councilor of Ward No. 23. Meanwhile, Mehedi was a close associate of Hannan Sarker, a former councilor of Ward No. 21 and a BNP leader who had been expelled from the party.

According to police, eyewitnesses, and locals, tensions had been brewing for a long time between Ashar’s loyalists—the Zafar-Roni group—and Hannan Sarker’s Mehedi-Babu group over control of the Rail Line Autorickshaw Stand and extortion money. This led to a clash on Friday, leaving at least eight injured from both sides.

The conflict escalated on Saturday night. Mehedi and Babu’s group attacked the Zafar-Roni group near Shahi Mosque in Hazaribag. During the counter-chase and clash, Abdul Quddus was critically injured by sharp weapons and later declared dead at the hospital.

Enraged supporters of Ashar then attacked and vandalized Hannan Sarker’s house. Police arrived to control the situation but were allegedly attacked as well. Later, the army was deployed to restore order.

However, around 11:30 PM, the two factions clashed again near Sirajuddoula Club ground. Members of the Roni-Zafar group chased and stabbed Mehedi, who was later declared dead at Khanpur 300-Bed Hospital.

Following the incident, Hannan Sarker claimed, “I am not involved in this incident. There is a deliberate attempt to defame me by linking me to it. My house has also been attacked.” On the other hand, Abul Kawser Ashar stated, “Those involved were once all associated with BNP politics. Essentially, their conflict arose over control of the autorickshaw stand, which is now being framed as a political rivalry.”

Despite multiple attempts, no further comments could be obtained from Hannan Sarker or Kawser Ashar.

Bandar Police Station Inspector Saiful Islam said, “Two people have been killed in a clash over dominance. The bodies have been sent to Narayanganj General Hospital for autopsy. The situation is now under control, with additional police, intelligence, and army personnel deployed in the area.”

This clash exposes the severe internal conflicts, extortion, and turf wars within BNP. Locals believe organizational weakness at the grassroots level and leadership disputes are key factors behind the violence.