Jubo Dal leader threatens police officer to release 2 Awami League men
A Jubo Dal leader has been accused of threatening the Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Ranishankail Police Station in Thakurgaon after police refused to release two men identified as Awami League activists arrested during a raid.
A video circulating on Facebook shows the Jubo Dal leader addressing the OC, saying, “You don’t know who you’re dealing with. Your luck has run out here.”
The Jubo Dal leader has been identified as Nazmul Huda, also known as Mithu, the president of Pirganj Upazila Jubo Dal unit. He allegedly issued the threat during an argument with the OC after police refused to free the detainees. However, Nazmul has denied making any threats.
According to police and local sources, police on Tuesday night carried out raids and arrested Sarwar Nur, 32, and Hamidur Rahman, 60, from Rajor village, Khalilur Rahman, 50, from Bhaularbasti village, and Ziaur Rahman, 42, from Dharmagarh Shalfarm area in Bachor Union of Ranishankail upazila.
Zahidul Islam, president of Bachor Union BNP unit, and a resident of the same area as the two arrestees, was present when police detained them. He allegedly pressured police to release them and made several phone calls when his request was denied. Police, however, brought the detainees to the station.
On Wednesday around 11:00 am, Zahidul arrived at the station with 30 to 35 people. Later, Pirganj Jubo Dal President Nazmul Huda also arrived, claiming Sarwar and Hamidur to be his relatives and urging the OC to release them, saying they were not involved in any political activity.
Around 1:30 pm, Zahidul and Nazmul together continued to press the OC for their release. When the officer refused, a heated argument ensued. Some locals also joined in, and two videos of the altercation were captured, which later spread online on Facebook.
In the 4-minute-30-second video, a crowd is seen in front of the police station. Nazmul is heard saying to the OC, “You filed the case, now say it clearly. You’re not saying anything. I’ve been calling since 3:00 pm, am I not a person?” The OC responds, “I’ve told you, it won’t happen.”
Nazmul then replied angrily, “Don’t talk nonsense. You didn’t say it won’t happen. Don’t lie... You don’t know who you’re dealing with. Your luck has run out here.” When the OC asked them to leave at this point, others in the group began arguing as well.
In another 1-minute-20-second video, Nazmul is seen telling the OC, “You’re just showing off your uniform. You’ve challenged us now.” A police officer is then heard saying, “Please don’t argue so much.”
Nazmul became more agitated at that and said, “Why shouldn’t I talk? Listen, it’s worse now than it was under the Awami League’s rule.”
When the OC asked them to leave, Nazmul replied, “Why should we leave? We also helped protect this police station, remember? We stayed at the police station for three to four days. Otherwise, people would have burned it down. If not us, then who has the right to speak?”
OC Arshadul Haque of Ranishankail Police Station said that all those arrested on Tuesday night were Awami League workers and supporters. Cases under the Explosives Act and the Anti-Terrorism Act have been filed against them, and they have been sent to court.
The OC added that Bachor Union BNP president and Pirganj Upazila Jubo Dal president came to the station to get them released, verbally abused him, and threatened to break officers’ bones and burn down the station. A General Diary (GD) has been filed over the incident.
In response to the allegations, Jubo Dal leader Nazmul Huda told Prothom Alo that police had arrested his business partner and his partner’s father on Tuesday night. When he phoned the OC, the OC told him to come to the police station.
Nazmul said, he went to Ranishankail police station and told the police that the two detainees were not involved with any political party, but the OC kept him waiting for hours without answering. He said he protested the behaviour of the OC.
Denying allegations of issuing any threat, the Jubo Dal leader said, “The question of threatening the police doesn’t arise. I only said that on 5 August, if we hadn’t guarded the police station, angry locals would have burned it down.”
When contacted, Thakuragon District Jubo Dal unit’s member secretary Md Zahid told Prothom Alo, “I’m not aware of the incident. I will look into it.”