Internal rivalries within the Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) boiled over on Wednesday evening in Brahmanbaria’s Kasba upazila, leaving at least five political activists injured following violent clashes over a newly announced committee formation. The altercations broke out around 7:00 pm near the Kasba Pauro Super Market area as competing factions took to the streets in opposing demonstrations.
The injured individuals have been identified as Hossain Mia, 40, a member of the municipal Shramik Dal; Shahida Kha, 30, former convener of the municipal JCD and a candidate for upazila JCD presidency; Rabbi Mia, 25, a Ward No. 8 Shramik Dal member; and municipal JCD leaders Rasedul Islam, 27, and Md Jewel, 30. All five received emergency treatment at the Kasba Upazila Health Complex following the incident. They are known locally as loyalists of Mushfiqur Rahman, the Member of Parliament for the Brahmanbaria-4 (Kasba-Akhaura) constituency.
The root of the conflict traces back to a political schism within the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its associate bodies across the Kasba-Akhaura belt. Local party units are sharply divided between two primary factions: one supporting local MP Mushfiqur Rahman and the other aligning with Kabir Ahmed Bhuiyan, a member of the Brahmanbaria district BNP executive committee. Discontent reached a boiling point after the JCD district leadership—specifically Convener Shahinur Rahman and Member Secretary Samir Chakraborty—approved and published new partial executive committees for the Kasba Upazila and Kasba Municipal JCD units on 1 November. The new upazila panel comprises 12 members, while the municipal committee has 13.
Supporters of MP Mushfiqur Rahman claimed they were deliberately excluded from both executive lists. Tensions escalated on Wednesday evening when newly appointed municipal JCD President Enamul Haq and General Secretary Jewel Ahmed—both loyal to Kabir Ahmed Bhuiyan—led a celebratory rally through the town towards Swadhinata Chattar. Simultaneously, a rival faction led by Raju Ahmed and Shahida Kha staged a counter-demonstration, denouncing the newly formed committee as illegal.
The two processions collided at Swadhinata Chattar, resulting in a tense stand-off that quickly escalated into a physical clash. Protesters engaged in a series of chases and counter-chases, leaving five members of the MP-backed group injured before police arrived to restore order.
Demanding the immediate dissolution of the newly announced panels, Raju Ahmed affirmed that protests would continue unabated until the decision is revoked. Meanwhile, Officer-in-Charge of Kasba Police Station, Ali Mohammad Rashed, stated that the situation in the town has returned to normal, though police personnel remain deployed at key locations to prevent further unrest. No formal complaints had been lodged with the police station by Thursday morning, though authorities assured that legal action will proceed as soon as a written complaint is received.
