DHAKA: Barisal BNP’s simmering inner-conflict erupted into a factional clash at party’s Naya Paltan central office Saturday, leaving at least 10 wounded, including former mayor Mujibur Rahman Sarwar.

Asadul Karim Shahin, assistant office secretary of the central BNP, was also injured as he tried to pacify the feuding groups who reportedly locked their horns over committee-formation issue.

Party sources said the supporters of former Barisal mayor Mujibur Rahman Sarwar and Ahsan Habib Kamal picked an altercation at about 2:30pm while a meeting was underway over the formation of Barisal metropolitan committee.

“At one stage of altercation, the two rival groups pounced on each other in a fisticuff and threw chairs towards the opponents,” says an eyewitness account of the melee at the opposition party headquarters—at a time when the BNP is drumming up mass campaign trying to build up an anti-government movement.  

The enraged supporters of Sarwar and Kamal also came out of the party office on the street and engaged in trading invective.

BDST: 1628 HRS, AUG 7, 2010