An attack has been carried out on former MP from the Jhalokathi-1 constituency Shahjahan Omar, who joined Awami League from the BNP ahead of the 12th parliamentary elections.
The local activists of the BNP and its associate bodies carried out the attack in the Baraibari area of Rajapur upazila at around 8:30 am Thursday, Shahjahan Omar alleged.
At one point, Shahjahan Omar took shelter at the Rajapur police station. Later, he was shown arrested in a case and was sent to jail.
Speaking to newspersons in front of the Rajapur police station before his arrest, Shahjahan Omar claimed, “Leaders and activists of the BNP and its associate bodies attacked me in the Baraibari area while I was going to Rajapur from my home in Barishal. Before that, the BNP activists vandalised my house in Godownghat area in Rajapur upazila at around 7:00 pm Wednesday.”
Earlier on Thursday morning, district BNP brought out a protest procession in the city demanding the arrest of Shahjahan Omar. The local BNP activists held a procession on Wednesday evening too in the Rajapur bypass area. Shahjahan Omar’s house in Rajapur was under attack at the same time.
Eye witness Md Rafiqul Islam said, “A group of 8-10 people suddenly attacked Shahjahan Omar’s house and hurled brickbats towards his residence from outside the boundary wall. Two glass windows in front of the building and one on the north side were partially broken. However, the attackers could not be identified.”
Rajapur police station officer-in-charge (OC) Md Islmail Hossain said Shahjahan Omar’s car was heavily damaged during the attack carried out this morning. He also sustained little injuries. He took shelter at the Rajapur police station. Later he was shown arrested in a case filed over vandalising Kathalia upazila BNP office and was sent to jail.
Police sources say a person named Akter Hossain Mirbahar filed the case on the allegation of vandalising Kathalia upazila BNP office on 4 December 2023. The plaintiff is a BNP activist.
Shahjahan Omar was involved in the BNP’s politics for a long time. He was elected lawmaker with the BNP’s nomination several times. He served as the state minister for the law ministry in the last government of the BNP.