UP chairman branded ‘devil’ and handed to police in Sylhet, ‘coordinator’ confined in protest
In Jakiganj upazila of Sylhet, an acting chairman of a union parishad (UP) was detained and branded a ‘devil’ before handing him over to the police.
In protest, local residents confined a young man at the upazila parishad, who identified himself as a coordinator of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement. Tension prevailed in the area from evening until around 11:00 pm on Wednesday.
To bring the situation under control, Jakiganj Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO), police officials, local public representatives and political leaders held several rounds of meetings.
Speaking around 11:00 am today, Thursday, Jakiganj police station officer-in-charge (OC) Abdur Razzak said that UP chairman Abdus Shahid is in police custody now.
He is not named as an accused in any case. However, since he was detained and handed over to the police, the matter is being verified, the police officer said.
Earlier on Wednesday evening, Abdus Shahid was detained from the Jakiganj upazila parishad area and handed over to the police by Jafar Ahmed and several other youths.
Jafar Ahmed is the complainant in a case filed over alleged attacks on students and public in Jakiganj during the July movement.
On 7 September 2024, Jafar Ahmed filed a case naming 107 people and accusing another 250 to 300 unidentified individuals. Abdus Shahid’s name does not appear in that case.
According to local sources, an emergency meeting of public representatives was held at the UNO’s office on Wednesday afternoon.
In one video, Jafar Ahmed is seen telling the UNO that Abdus Shahid is a “devil” and an Awami League leader, claiming that there is different evidence against him.
After the meeting, Abdus Shahid, the acting chairman of Manikpur Union Parishad, was detained by Jafar Ahmed and several young men after being labelled a ‘devil’, and was later handed over to the police.
As the news spread, angry residents of Manikpur union gathered at the upazila parishad in the evening and confined Jafar Ahmed along with several others inside the office of the upazila project implementation officer. Verbal altercations and scuffles broke out between the two sides.
Amid the escalating situation, the UNO held a meeting at the project implementation officer’s office with police officials, elected representatives and leaders of various political parties.
Several videos from, during and prior to the meeting have come into the possession of this correspondent.
In one video of the meeting, Jafar Ahmed is seen telling the UNO that Abdus Shahid is a “devil” and an Awami League leader, claiming that there is different evidence against him.
Opposing this claim, Abidur Rahman, president of the upazila unit of Jubo Jamaat, said, "I state with full responsibility that Abdus Shahid is not affiliated with any political party."
"He is not even a ward-level Awami League leader, nor is he named as an accused in any case at Jakiganj police station. Handing him over by creating a mob and tagging him with a party label out of personal animosity is disgraceful," he added.
Videos also show heated arguments and physical scuffles between the two sides in front of the UNO. During this time, Jafar Ahmed expressed concerns about his own safety. Later, a police team escorted him and several of his associates safely out of the upazila parishad area.
Attempts to contact Jafar Ahmed were unsuccessful, as his mobile phone was found switched off. Despite repeated attempts, the UNO, Masudur Rahman, did not respond to calls on his mobile phone.