Dhaka, July 31
At least 35 people, including five journalists, were injured after a violent clash broke out between the leaders and activists of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and National Citizens Party (NCP) during a protest rally held in Cumilla, local media reported.
The incident occurred on Wednesday evening after NCP supporters organised a rally under the banner of 'People from all walks of life of Muradnagar Upazila' to protest against alleged propaganda and conspiracy against the local government advisor of the interim government, Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain.
Subsequently, leaders and activists from the NCP and BNP parties chased each other while throwing bricks and stones, causing panic in the area.
Citing eyewitnesses, Prothom Alo, reported that during the protest rally, when Asif's followers raised slogans like 'Direct action against extortionists', 'Catch extortionists, throw them in jail', 'Muradnagar's soil, Asif's base', all of a sudden stones and bricks were thrown at them from the opposite side.
Later, both BNP and NCP supporters started hurling brickbats at each other, injuring five journalists present at the scene.
As the clash intensified, panic gripped the area, and businessmen present in the region shut down their shops and fled in different directions.