Online Desk: A total of 986 named and unnamed leaders and activists of the BNP and its associate bodies in Sirajganj sadar upazila were sued in two separate cases on Saturday night. Of them, 49 were arrested on Sunday. The filing of cases came following a clash between the Awami League and the BNP activists centring the main opposition’s road march on Saturday morning. All the arrestees were sent to the district jail.

Sheyalkol union Awami League general secretary Jahangir Hossain and Sirajganj sadar police sub-inspector Saiful Islam filed the two cases at Sirajganj Police Station. The BNP activists set fire to 12 motorcycles, displayed illegal weapons, threw cocktails and committed vandalism, said the police.  At least 19 people were injured, twelve motorbikes were vandalised and three others torched during the clash.

Sadar police officer-in-charge Md Humayun Kabir said that brick chips were thrown from a BNP procession at an AL meeting in Paikpara Bazar at about 10:00am on Saturday. Both groups engaged in a clash while the police charged batons to bring the situation under control, added the OC.