Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan has said action would be taken against those involved in a clash in Naryanganj on Tuesday, which saw a ruling party cadre toting a firearm in broad daylight. “Nobody is above the law. Action will be taken against those involved in the incident in Narayanganj and those who have taken the law into their own hands,” he warned. He made this remark after a function held yesterday to upgrade the Tejgaon Central Drug Addiction Treatment and Rehabilitation Centre under the narcotics control department.

The minister described the occurrence as sad and “unfortunate”. Earlier, on Tuesday, at least 50 people, including seven policemen and five journalists, were injured in a clash between hawkers and the followers of Narayanganj City Corporation mayor Selina Hayat Ivy during an eviction drive at the Chashara intersection of the city. As the two sides got involved in a clash, Jubo League leader Niazul Islam, known to be a follower of Shamim Osman, threatened Ivy's supporters by brandishing firearms.

Delivering the keynote address as the chief guest at the rehabilitation centre function, the home minister said: "We're committed to making our country drug-free. We're always trying to fulfil our dreams to make Bangladesh prosperous. We want the members of our law enforcement agencies to be alert and wipe out the problem of drugs.”

Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Tipu Munshi, was a special guest at the inauguration ceremony along with Security Services secretary Farid Uddin Ahmed Chowdhury. Narcotic control director general Mohammad Jamal Uddin Ahmed chaired the programme.

Meanwhile, Narayanganj City Corporation Mayor Selina Hayat Ivy suffered a low blood pressure yesterday and was rushed to a hospital in Dhaka, reports UNB. Ivy's personal secretary Abul Hossain told UNB that her pressure suddenly fell at around 3 pm while she was at the Narayanganj Nagar Bhaban. Later, the mayor was rushed to Dhaka on an ambulance. She is now undergoing a check-up at Labaid Hospital, said Abul Hossain. Earlier, on Tuesday the NCC mayor sustained minor injury in one of her legs during a clash ensued over hawkers defying the mayor's move of evicting illegal occupants from the footpaths in Narayanganj.