Eight NCP, anti-discrimination leaders injured in midnight attack in Ashulia
A violent attack took place late Wednesday night targeting leaders of the National Citizen Party's (NCP) labour wing and the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement in Ashulia, Savar, Dhaka.
The incident occurred around 12:30am in the Goailbari Bazar area.
According to the injured, the attack was carried out in retaliation for their demand to shut down an illegal lead factory operating in the area.
Eight individuals were injured in the assault. Three of them were admitted to Enam Medical College Hospital in Savar. They are: Rifat Ahmed alias Emon, 27, central organiser of NCP’s Labour Wing, Tauhidul Islam alias Sanvi, 23, joint secretary of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, Savar Upazila and Hriday Hasan, 24, senior co-chief organiser of the same movement.
The other injured individuals include: Obaidul Islam, 25, joint convener, Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, Savar, Al Masum alias Sajib, 26, spokesperson, Fahadul Islam Fahad, 29, member, Syed Emon, 24, convener, City University and Tauhid Ahmed alias Shanto, 24, member secretary.
They received treatment at Savar Upazila Health Complex and other nearby hospitals.
Shafiqul Islam, the duty manager at Enam Medical College Hospital, told Prothom Alo that among the three individuals admitted, one sustained a head injury that required stitches, while the others suffered injuries to various parts of their bodies.
The injured activists, who are currently receiving treatment at the hospital, said that on Wednesday night, a leader of the NCP’s labour wing along with several members of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement from Savar upazila went to the Sreepur area of Ashulia. They had been invited to a local resident’s home. While cooking was underway, they went to Shimulia for tea. Around 10:00pm, they were sitting on a bridge when they detected a strong odor. Upon asking a local resident, they learned that a nearby illegal factory was smelting batteries to extract lead.
They informed local police and upazila administration officials about the matter. Police requested video footage from the site. Later, a man claiming to be a journalist called activist Tauhid Ahmed and asked to meet to discuss about the factory. While they were en route, near the Goailbari Bazar area, a group of people in a microbus attacked them with local weapons. Police from Ashulia police station arrived and rescued them.
Hriday Hasan, one of the injured, told Prothom Alo: "During the attack, the assailants called Asadul Islam Mukul, a member of NCP’s central committee. Mukul told them we were not from the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement and said he would look into the matter after the beating."
Rifat Ahmed, central organiser of the NCP’s labour wing, told Prothom Alo: "We had told the factory staff not to operate without proper authorisation and left the area. About an hour and a half later, while passing by again, we saw the factory in operation."
He added, "Initially, people from the factory said, ‘We pay a person named Mukul—why are you interfering?’"
However, Asadul Islam Mukul, a central committee member of the National Citizen Party (NCP), denied the allegations. Speaking to Prothom Alo, he said:
"Around midnight, someone called to inform me that some organisers had attacked the factory. I was surprised to hear of such an incident so close to my house and clarified that none of our people had gone there.
"We know Mukul—who are you people? Do you know Mukul? They replied they didn’t, which made the factory workers suspicious," Mukul heard the factory workers as saying.
Mukul further stated, “The allegation about taking money is false. I have no connection with the factory.”
At around 5:30pm, Muhammad Sohrab Al Hossain, officer-in-charge of Ashulia police station, told Prothom Alo: "After receiving the report, we rescued the injured from the scene. We have not yet received any formal complaint. If a complaint is filed, we will investigate and take legal action accordingly."