Dhaka: Awami League candidate for Dhaka-3 constituency Nasrul Hamid Bipu on Wednesday visited his opponent BNP candidate Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, who sustained injuries in an attack during electioneering on Tuesday in Keraniganj, and termed the incident unexpected.

Nasrul Hamid, also the State Minister for Power and Energy, went to Gayeshwar’s office in city’s Nayapaltan area around 11 am and wanted to know about the attack from the injured BNP leader, reports the UNB.

Talking to reporters, he said, ‘Dada (Gayeshwar) has long been in politics, and he is my senior. We all are ashamed of the unexpected incident happened yesterday (Tuesday).’

The junior minister said those who are responsible for the attack should be punished. ‘Law enforcers arrested three people in this connection on Tuesday night.’

He said he asked the police to take legal action against those involved in it.

On Tuesday evening, BNP standing committee member Gayeshwar Chandra Roy and 24 other BNP leaders and activists suffered injuries in an attack reportedly made by ruling party men during electioneering at Chunkutia in South Keraniganj.

Nasul Hamid said he has very close relations with Gayeshwar and his family members. ‘My father was Dada’s teacher and a co-politician. So, we’ve been sharing the relationship for a long time.’

He said he wants the election to be held in a fair and credible manner in Keraniganj. ‘I invited him (Gayeshwar) to my house and he assured me that he would go there tomorrow (Thursday).

The state minister said some overenthusiastic youths carried out the incident probably as part of a conspiracy to destroy the political co-existence in their constituency.

Gayeshwar said he had confidence that he would not be dishonoured by anybody in Keraniganj as he has been maintaining relations with its people irrespective of their religious and political identities for 53 years as a politician. ‘I also consider the minister (Nasrul Hamid) as my younger brother, and I’ve been maintaining very good relation with him over the last 10 years despite political chaos.’

He said he does not seek the punishment of the attackers as they did it out of their emotion. ‘But such emotion is bad for politics.’

The BNP leader thanked Nasrul Hamid for visiting him and showing sympathy to him.