A clash erupted between Awami League-affiliated Jubo League and BNP activists in Ashulia's Savar area, centring around control of the scrap business at a local garment factory.
During the altercation, around 5-6 rounds of gunshots were fired, creating panic among bystanders. The law enforcement authorities have since arrested three individuals in connection with the incident.
"The violence took place in front of 'The Rose Dresses Limited', a garment factory in the Jamgora area of Ashulia on Wednesday (16 October)," said Ashulia Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Abu Bakar Siddique on Thursday (17 October).
A 5-and-a-half-minute CCTV footage of the incident, reviewed by this reporter, shows a group of people running past the factory gate at 9:34am, causing alarm among passersby, some of whom stopped in their tracks.
Forty seconds into the footage, around 25-30 individuals, many of whom appeared to be teenagers and some with faces covered by cloth, are seen carrying wooden sticks and various locally made weapons.
The factory's security guards attempted to block the gate with bamboo poles while others were seen marching in the streets, brandishing knives and machetes.
According to police, Kabir Hossain Sarkar, the convener of Jubo League's Ashulia unit, had been running the scrap business at the Rose Dresses Limited factory under the banner of the Islam Group.
Sarkar, who went into hiding following the fall of the government and the filing of around two dozen murder cases against him, found his control over the business challenged when BNP activists attempted to take over the scrap trade on Wednesday. Jubo League members armed with locally made weapons retaliated, resulting in the violent clash. At one point, several rounds of gunfire were exchanged between the rival groups.
Anwar Hossain Rana, the publicity secretary of BNP's Ashulia unit, stated, "Kabir Hossain Sarkar, the former Jubo League convener of Ashulia, used to control the scrap business at this garment factory. He faces over 25 cases, including those for killing students and civilians. Today, when we approached the factory management for discussions, Awami League members Arif Madbar, Ratan, Tanvir, Galakata Jewel, Hannan, and Parvez, along with 100-150 others, attacked us with firearms and locally made weapons, forcing us to retreat to a safer location."
Ashulia OC Abu Bakar Siddique said, "Upon receiving information about the unrest at Rose Garments, police and joint forces were immediately deployed to the scene. We have detained three individuals in connection with the incident. Previously, Kabir Hossain Sarkar's group handled the scrap trade, but the BNP faction was recently granted a trade deal in Mamun's name. When news of this spread, the old group came to resist. The situation is now under control, and our operation is ongoing."
