Mayor Nasir slaps engineer?

Chittagong City Corporation mayor AZM Nasir Uddin allegedly slapped an engineer of National Housing Authority on Monday.

Nasir allegedly slapped assistant engineer Ashrafuzzaman at a meeting at the city corporation office. Officials of NHA Chattogram circle on Tuesday observed a strike protesting the incident.

Nasir, however, denied the allegation and said he scolded the engineer for his 'indecent behaviour'.

Officials said, NHA and city corporation authorities were at loggerheads over a piece of land. NHA alleged that the city corporation is using a piece of their land without taking permission for extending a city road. The two authorities arranged a meeting to settle the matter on Monday evening.
According to the NHA officials, a six-member team led by Chattogram circle superintending engineer Md Shamsul Alam went to the Nagar Bhaban to discuss the issue with city corporation authorities.

At one point of the discussion, mayor Nasir slapped the engineer, alleged the NHA officials. City councilor Golam Mohmmad Zobayer also allegedly joined in the beating.

Zobayer, too, denied the allegation.

Md Shamsul Alam said the strike was observed in 16 Zilas of Chattogram circle and they informed the incident to the high-ups of the department.

They would announce further programme if they do not get justice, he added.

Denying the allegation, mayor Nasir told Prothom Alo that NHA want to set up a makeshift market in the disputed land while city corporation wanted to construct a road and a drain to curb water logging problem of the city.

The engineer showed offensive behavior towards me. I just told him he doesn’t know how to behave with a mayor. At that point, others took him away,” said Nasir.