Krishak League leader slapped M Inamul Haque

Engineer M Inamul Haque was slapped when he was distributing leaflets criticising the government on behalf of his party in the city’s Shahbagh area on Saturday.

A video of a man harassing and slapping him went viral on social media and drew flak.

The man who assaulted the elderly person in front of the National Museum has been identified as Bani Amin of Betbaria village under Kazipur union in Meherpur’s Gangni upazila. He is the president of union unit Krishak League, an associate body of the ruling Awami League.

Inamul Haque is a former director general of River Research Institute, Bangladesh Haor Development Board and Water Resources Planning Organisation.

Inamul Haque is convener of Sarbajan Biplabi Dal. He went to Shahbagh on Saturday evening to distribute leaflets calling for a half-day hartal (strike) on 27 December. At one point, Bani Amin slapped Inamul.

This correspondent talked with Bani Amin in his house in Meherpur.

Amin said he was going to join the ruling Awami League’s national council. He got enraged seeing an elderly man criticising the Awami League president. He is now ashamed of the incident.

Meherpur Krishak League’s general secretary Wasim Sajjad said, “Bani Amin was the president of the union Jubo League before being involved with Krishak League. He was made president of the union unit Krishak League this year.”

Mozel Sheikh, a resident of Betbaria village said Bani Amin was accused of a farmer’s murder during the BNP regime. He was later acquitted of the case.

Kazipur union parishad’s chairman Alam Hossain said, “We haven’t heard of any major allegation against Bani Amin in the area. What he has done in Dhaka is totally unacceptable.”