The very BNP men for whom I fought for 15 years pushed me: Rumeen

BNP’s international affairs secretary Rumeen Farhana blamed activists of Brahmanbaria BNP president for hooliganism inside the election commission headquarters today, Sunday.

“I thought no one would bring in thugs inside out of respect for the election commission. But the candidate from Brahmanbaria-3 (Khaled Hossain Mahbub) brought 20–25 men and engaged in hooliganism. What hasn’t happened in 15 years happened today — they almost tried to push me to the ground. The very BNP leaders and activists for whom I’ve fought for 15 years pushed me,” Rumeen Farhana said.

She spoke to reporters today, Sunday afternoon, after an incident of scuffle at the election commission building in Agargaon, Dhaka, during a hearing on the re-demarcation of parliamentary constituencies.

“I brought gentlemen with me, not thugs. But they kept making baseless remarks. At the end, when I stood up to speak, I was shoved. When my people were beaten, they responded,” Rumeen said.

Around 12 noon, the hearing began at the election commission. Shortly after, the discussion turned to the re-demarcation of the boundaries of Brahmanbaria-2 (Sarail–Ashuganj) and neighboring Brahmanbaria-3 (Sadar–Bijoynagar), Rumeen Farhana’s constituency. At one point, a scuffle broke out.

The draft prepared by the election commission proposes transferring three unions of Bijoynagar upazila — Budhanti, Chandura, and Harashpur — from Brahmanbaria-3 (Sadar–Bijoynagar) to Brahmanbaria-2 (Sarail–Ashuganj). Rumeen Farhana supports this proposal.

Explaining her stance, the BNP central leader said, “Our leader Khaleda Zia has always said BNP wants elections under the pre-2008 constituency boundaries. The current boundaries were set by the fascist government to suit their own interests. We want a return to the pre-2008 boundaries.

“In the current boundary, there is no balance in the number of voters. Our constituency has about 420,000 voters, Bijoynagar has 610,000, and the Sadar has 600,000. If Budhanti, Chandura, and Harashpur unions are joined with Sarail, then voter numbers will be more balanced,” she explained.

Rumeen also argued that geographically and socially, residents of the three unions are linked to Sarail. They conduct official and land registry work there, and travel is also easier via Sarail.

Khaled Hossain Mahbub, BNP’s candidate aspirant for Brahmanbaria-3 and president of the district BNP — against whom Rumeen made her allegations — told reporters about the scuffle, “There was actually an argument between NCP and Barrister Rumeen Farhana. This was unfortunate and unwanted. It is deeply regrettable that such incidents happen at this level.”

On boundary changes, he said, “Three out of Bijoynagar’s 10 unions have been attached to Sarail–Ashuganj on the basis of wrong information. These unions are geographically connected to Bijoynagar. We want them to remain in Brahmanbaria-3.”

“The commission held the hearing. There was some commotion, where our opponents presented many false claims, which are not logical. We believe these three unions should remain with Sadar–Bijoynagar,” he added.

Md Ataullah, Joint Chief Organiser of the National Citizen Party (NCP), accused Rumeen Farhana of assaulting him during the hearing.
“When I stood up to speak, Rumeen Farhana pushed me down. Then her men started kicking and punching me. My panjabi was torn, and I was injured in the hand. Just like Chhatra League used to crush us on campus, they crushed me the same way,” said the NCP leader.

He claimed the commission then allowed no one else to speak.

“Except BNP, even Jamaat wasn’t given a chance to speak.”

Aminul Haque Chowdhury, NCP’s coordinator for Brahmanbaria, told Prothom Alo that they want Bijoynagar to remain intact.

“But during the hearing, Rumeen Farhana and her men attacked us. They threw us to the ground and trampled us right in front of the commission. This proves fair elections are not possible in this country.”

In response to Ataullah’s allegations, Rumeen Farhana’s said, “The problem is, he isn’t a familiar face — I don’t know if he came from NCP or Jamaat. But the first person who pushed me was a man in a white panjabi. After that, of course my people didn’t just sit back. I’m a woman. Later, when my people were attacked, they retaliated. It’s simple.”