At least seven leaders and activists of the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party were injured in an attack carried out allegedly by the leaders and activists of the ruling Awami League in Natore city on Wednesday morning.

BNP national executive committee forest and environment affairs secretary Mohammad Mossaddique Hossain Bulbul and Natore district BNP convener Shahidul Islam Bachhu, among others, were injured in the incident.

Witnesses said that BNP leaders and activists gathered in front of the Natore district unit office in Alapur area in the city to attend a rally to press home their demand of immediate release and better treatment for their chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia.

Ruhul Quddus Talukder Dulu, Rajshahi divisional organising secretary of BNP, told New Age that a group of AL men carried out a sudden attack on the BNP leaders and activists, foiling their rally and injuring at least seven fellow leaders and activists.

He said that three of the injured were admitted to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital with critical injuries.

‘Attack on BNP leaders and activists is not a new thing in Natore city. Whenever we orgainsed any programme in the past twelve years, we were attacked by the ruling party men,’ he said.

Mosaddeque Hossain Bulbul, who received injuries on his left hand in the attack, blamed AL general secretary Obaidul Quader for the attack.

However, Shariful Haque Ramzan, general secretary of Natore district unit of Awami League, denied the BNP leaders’ allegation.

‘I have heard that some over enthusiastic people, who have recently joined Awami League from BNP and are loyal to a particular district AL leader, have carried out the attack on the BNP rally’, he said.

Shariful Haque Ramzan also questioned the role of the law enforcers during the attack. ‘There were so many police deployed around the BNP’s rally. What did the police actually do? Why have they not take any action,’ he added.

Mizanur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Natore Sadar Police Station, told New Age that there was no clash or attack at BNP’s rally place. ‘I have heard that a BNP man named Bachhu was beaten in another area,’ he said.