BNP's Chittagong metropolitan unit conference, organised after long 20 years, ended in a pandemonium on Monday when the rival groups locked into clashes injuring at least 50 workers.

The council, due to begin at 10am at the Institution of Engineers Chittagong Centre, was disrupted almost before it could begin as the two factions faced off. The clash involved the supporters of BNP joint secretary general Abdullah Al Noman and convenor of the metropolitan unit Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury. Most of the injured were the supporters of Amir Khasru Mahmood, convenor of the metropolitan unit. The three injured admitted to hospital were identified as Mohammad Ali, 'Shamim' and 'Masum', personal assistant of Chittagong metropolitan BNP's joint convener Shamsul Alam.

BNP joint secretary general Gayeshwar Chandra Roy and other central leaders who went to Chittagong to attend the council said a new committee would be declared from Dhaka. BNP central leaders reconstituted the metropolitan committee in 1997, selecting Mir Mohammad Nasir Uddin and Dastagir Chowdhury as its president and general secretary. The committee was dissolved in May 2005 after Nasir lost the mayoral elections and a convening committee was later announced headed by former whip Syed Wahidul Alam. After the election debacle in 2008, the convening committee was again reconstituted with Ameer Khasru Mahmud as the convenor.

However, conflict of interest surfaced within the organisation on the question of reformists and the desire to get a position in the committee. The council generated a big enthusiasm among the BNP workers and supporters in the port city. A large number of enthusiastic workers and supporters gathered in the city in connection with the council. Many of them were angry for not being invited as councilor. Amir Khasru's supporters took position in the auditorium from the morning while Noman and his followers entered in a procession theat around 11:15am. Both groups began throwing chairs at each other with the fighting continuing for around half an hour. At one point, Noman's supporters drove Amir Khasru's followers out of the auditorium.

Former foreign minister M Morshed Khan, who had inaugurated the council, the BNP chairperson's adviser A S M Hannan Shah, as chief guest, were present on the stage at that time. Police brought the situation under control when Noman's supporters surrounded the invited guests. Morshed Khan and Hannan Shah then left the venue. Central and metropolitan leaders left the venue at around 1:45pm without finishing the programme. Gayeshwar Roy and Jatiyatabadi Jubo Dal president Barkatullah Bulu, who travelled from Dhaka to attend the council, and convener Amir Khasru also claimed that the first session of the council was "held successfully". Noman, however, claimed that the council had been postponed, and added that a new date for the council would be declared later. Bulu, however, told the newsmen before leaving the venue that "the new committee will be declared from Dhaka later on." Noman's followers brought out a protest rally in front of the party office after leaving the council venue.

-New Nation