There has been an attack and vandalism on the Awami League office in Bheramara, Kushtia. The incident took place in Satbaria market of Ward No. 7 of Dharampur Union of Upazila on Friday 2nd June 2023 evening. Local UP member Rahidul Islam Budus (55) was seriously injured in this incident.
The injured are Rahidul Islam Budu, UP member of Ward No. 7 of Dharampur Union and son of deceased Rehmat Pramanik of Satbaria village and Sultan Ali (40), son of Kamal Ali of the same area. The injured are undergoing treatment at Kushtia General Hospital. Since this incident, the situation in the area has been calm. Locals fear a major clash at any moment.
Sharifuzzaman Nawab, a member of Bheramara Upazila Awami League, said that local leaders and activists sat in the regional office of Satbaria Awami League since many years ago. In 1991, Sheikh Hasina came to the office built by Shafiul Islam Kubbat, a war-victim freedom fighter and former general secretary of Bheramara Upazila Awami League. That office was vandalized. Photos of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in office were also broken and torn. There is extreme anger among the local leaders about this. He also said that Zidan, Russell, Rajib, Shaheen of Mandalpara of Satbaria village appeared in a family song program around 11 o’clock on Thursday night. They also vandalized a micro car. At that time, the locals asked them to leave. At one point they left there. Later on Friday evening at around 6 pm Zidan, Russell, Rajib, Shaheen and others attacked the office of Awami League under the leadership of Abdul Aziz. Rahidul Islam Budu, UP member of Ward No. 7 of Dharampur Union and Sultan Ali of Awami League were seriously injured. We will file a case against them. I demand their exemplary punishment.
Yanus Ali, an eyewitness to the incident, said that in the presence of police station, Dharampur Union Jubo League president Abdul Aziz, led by Zidan, Russell, Rajib, Arif, Sharif, Shaheen and around 20 to 30 people attacked with various types of weapons including Ramda, Chapati. At that time, they bombed the office of Awami League, shot, vandalized pictures and furniture of Father of the Nation Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. At this time, they beat the Awami League leaders and activists. Budu member and Sultan Kushtia are under treatment at General Hospital with serious injuries.
Eyewitness tea seller Khaksar Ali said, I was selling tea. Awami League activists were ambushed by 8 to 10 motorcycles in the evening. They beat and chopped the activists and seriously injured them and fled. The police came to the spot immediately after the incident. Then again they entered the office of Awami League and hurled bombs in the presence of the police, vandalized pictures of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and vandalized furniture including office chairs and tables. At that time they attacked my tea shop and cut and vandalized the kettle, gas stove, chair, table with ramadas. I am a poor man. They hurt me a lot. I demand exemplary punishment of the criminals.
Union Jubo League President and Upazila Jubo League Joint General Secretary Abdul Aziz said that there was a problem between the two parties during a song program on Thursday night. In this, a young man named Raju was killed and his head split open. Awami League office was vandalized by attacking UP members and local people on Friday evening based on this incident. I don’t know who or who attacked them and vandalized their office. I have no involvement with this incident. All allegations leveled against me are false and baseless. General Secretary of Dharampur Union Awami League and former Chairman of Union Parishad Sahabul Alam Lalu and his people are spreading false propaganda against me.
Bheramara Upazila Awami League President Rafiqul Islam Chunnu, Dharampur Union Awami League General Secretary and former Union Parishad Chairman Sahabul Alam Lalu could not be reached for comment.
In this regard, Bheramara Upazila Awami League General Secretary Shamimul Islam Chana said, I was outside the area, my mobile was silent. I just heard something happened. I still don’t know the details about this incident. Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Bheramara Police Station Rafiqul Islam told Daily Present Times correspondent that no one has yet filed a written complaint regarding the vandalism and attack on the Awami League office. No one was arrested. Legal action will be taken if complaints are received. Immediately after the incident, the Bheramara police reached the spot and brought the situation under control. Additional police have been deployed to maintain order in the area. The current situation in that area is normal. He also said that actually that office is one’s personal.
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