PABNA — Attackers vandalized a stage set up for a BNP membership renewal and recruitment program in Pabna’s Sujanagar upazila on Wednesday, injuring at least five party workers, police and party sources said.
The attack occurred about an hour before the meeting was set to begin around 10:30 a.m. at the Poradanga Bazar grounds in Tantibandh union of the upazila.
According to police and party sources, supporters of Advocate A.K.M. Selim Reza Habib, a central BNP executive committee member, had set up the stage for the membership renewal and recruitment program. Habib was to be the chief guest, but the attack took place about an hour before his arrival.
The attackers smashed tables and chairs at the stage and beat several party workers who had come to join the meeting, injuring at least five people. Among those seriously injured were Abdul Salam Munshi, president of the Tantibandh union Swechchhasebak Dal; Ershad Alam, vice-president of the district Chhatra Dal; and Tanvir Hasan Maruf, a Chhatra Dal leader. They were admitted to Sujanagar upazila health complex.
RAB and police arrived at the scene immediately after the attack and brought the situation under control. Army members were also seen on alert in the area.
Mojibur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Sujanagar police station, said three people had been detained in connection with the attack: Sarwar Hossain, nephew of expelled Sujanagar upazila BNP member-secretary Sheikh Abdur Rouf; Ariful Sheikh, son of Borhan Sheikh of Tantibandh union; and Hriday, son of Soleman Sheikh.
In his speech after the meeting began, Selim Reza Habib strongly condemned the attack, protested the incident and demanded legal action against those responsible.
Hafizur Rahman, convener of the Tantibandh union Jubo Dal, directly alleged that the attack was carried out on the orders of expelled upazila BNP member-secretary Sheikh Abdur Rouf.
Contacted about the allegation, Sheikh Abdur Rouf denied involvement, calling it false and vindictive. “I have just returned from the door of death after being injured and am still bedridden,” he said. He countered by alleging that angry workers may have carried out the incident after his union BNP office was vandalized in the morning.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report