A violent clash between supporters of the National Citizen Party (NCP) and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) in Noakhali’s Hatiya upazila left dozens injured on Monday, escalating tensions between the two rival factions.

The skirmish erupted during an NCP rally at Jahajmara Bazar, where NCP Senior Joint Coordinator Abdul Hannan Masud was among the wounded, sustaining injuries severe enough to require hospital treatment.

Local accounts and police reports indicate the trouble began when BNP activists, protesting an alleged earlier attack on a Krishak Dal leader, confronted the NCP gathering. What started as a war of words quickly spiraled into a physical brawl, with both sides trading blows and chasing each other through the streets.

Hannan Masud, a key NCP figure, was targeted in the melee, prompting the party to issue a 24-hour ultimatum for the arrest of the assailants, whom they claim are expelled BNP members.

Authorities estimate at least 40 people were hurt, though exact figures remain fluid as hospitals process the influx. The incident follows a pattern of rising friction between the youth-led NCP—born from the 2024 anti-Hasina uprising—and the established BNP, both vying for political ground ahead of anticipated elections.

Posts on X reflect public alarm, with some accusing the BNP of sabotage, while others see the NCP’s rapid rise as stoking unrest.

Police have bolstered security in Hatiya, but the clash underscores Bangladesh’s volatile political landscape as the NCP pushes its “Second Republic” vision against the BNP’s call for swift polls. With both parties digging in, Monday’s violence may signal more turbulence ahead.