3 AL men arrested over attack on ex-MP’s son

Police arrested 3 Awami League activists over an attack on the son of former lawmaker Yakub Ali in Natore’s Nandigram area.

The arrestees are Hasim Ali, 23, Munnaf Ali, 32, and Rabiul Islam, 24. All of them are residents of Lakkhikhola village in Singra upazila.

Nandigram police and family members said, some 6-7 men attacked former Natore-2 MP’s son Ashik Iqbal, 45, on Friday evening at Ranabagha Bazar in Nandigram. They hacked him with sharp weapons. The attackers also beat Ashik with hammers. The people present at the spot held the three Awami League activists from there.

The locals rescued Ashik and took him to Singra upazila health complex. He was later shifted to Bagura Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital in Bagura as his condition deteriorated.

Deputy director of the hospital Abdul Wadud said Ashik is now out of danger but he needed several stitches on his head.

Ashik’s younger brother Iftekhar Alam later filed a case accusing Sukash union Awami League’s general secretary Md Hasmat Ali, the arrested trio and some other unidentified men.

Iftekhar said his brother is a follower of Singra municipality Awami League president and upazila chairman Shafiqul Islam.

Hasmat Ali is a supporter of local lawmaker and state minister for information and technology Zunaid Ahmed Palak, he added.

Iftekhar said that his brother on Wednesday participated at a mourning day programme organized by upazila chairman Shafiqul which enraged Hasmat’s supporters.

Hasmat denied his involvement with the incident and termed the case as a political conspiracy against him.

He said Ashik Iqbal led an attack on his family members five days ago over cutting grass in a field. Later, a case was filed against Ashik in this connection.

Hasmat said a scuffle broke out between two groups on Friday centering that previous enmity.

Officer in charge of Nandigram police station Shawkat Kabir told Prothom Alo that the arrested trio indicated that the incident ensued from political rivalry.

They were sent to the court on Saturday, OC added.

Ashik’s father Yakub Ali was elected member of parliament from Natore-2 in 1986 as an independent candidate. He later joined Jatiya Party.