One faction is led by convener of upazila BNP Ashraful Islam and backed by former minister and central BNP leader Nitai Roy Chowdhury and the other by its former president Kamaluddin Master.

On Monday, the Ashraful faction called a party meeting at Khamarpra High School ground and invited Nitai Roy Chowdhury to attend it. The other faction led by Kamaludin, which earlier declared Nitai 'unwanted' in the upazila, resisted him from attending the meeting.

On that day, rival BNP activists equipped with lethal weapons took position in different areas in the upazila. Apprehending violence, Sreepur Upazila Nirbahi Officer along with two other magistrates and a large number of police men from Magura reached the spot and somehow averted clash, witnesses and party sources said.

Nitai had reached Magura on Monday to attend the meeting but did not go to the venue, party sources said.

Earlier on March 5, rivals burnt Nitai's effigy and declared him 'unwanted' in Sreepur, alleging that he was doing anti-party activities.

Allegations have it that Sreepur thana BNP committee was dissolved much before expiry of its tenure at the behest of Nitai.

Earlier, at least 150 people including five policemen were injured in a fierce clash between the rival groups. Of the injured, 23 were bullet-hit.

Nitai Roy Chowdhury is a man from Mohammadpur upazila (Magura-2 constituency). In the last election, he was nominated from Magura-1 constituency comprising Sreepur and Magura Sadar upazila. He lost to Awami League's MS Akbar.

Party insiders alleged that after the 2001 election, he never visited the constituency.

"As he is from a different constituency and has no contact with people of Sreepur, we have declared him unwanted. A few party men who are trying to rehabilitate him in politics will also be isolated from the party", said ReZaul Islam, joint organanising secretary of Sreepur thana BNP while talking to this correspondent.

Despite repeated attempts, Nitai Roy could not be contacted over cell phone. However, his supporter Ashraful Islam, convener of Sreepur thana BNP, denied the allegation.

"It is a conspiracy by some nomination-seekers (in the next election) who do not bother about it in Magura", he said.