Badi beats up two Awami League men this time
Former member of parliament of the ruling Awami League Abdur Rahman Badi has reportedly beaten up two leaders of the party's Teknaf municipal unit in Cox's Bazar during an extended meeting of the unit on Friday afternoon.
This accusation against Abdur Rahman Badi was made by Teknaf municipal Awami League vice president Mohammad Yusuf and municipal Awami League joint general secretary Mohammad Yusuf Bhutto. They are brothers-in-law. And Mohammad Yusuf is a cousin of former MP Abdur Rahman Badi.
The two assaulted men alleged that when they opposed a statement of Abdur Rahman at the extended meeting, he reacted angrily and beat them up. Abdur Rahman, however, denied the allegation and said he had come down from the stage to stop a fist fight.
Mohammad Yusuf, one of those who had been assaulted, told Prothom Alo that during the extended meeting, Abdur Rahman persistently gave priority to the ward committee, totally ignoring the municipal committee.
"When we protested, an altercation broke out. Abdur Rahman came down from the stage," he added.
Mohammad Yusuf said, "Badi's younger brother who was at the meeting and the municipal Awami League organising secretary Abdus Shukkur and some of their supporters began punching and kicking me. They tore my panjabi. Joint secretary Mohammad Yusuf Bhutto tried to save me and Badi and his followers assaulted him too. The upazila Awami League health affairs secretary Mahmudul Huq tried to make a video recording of the incident, but Badi's men snatched away his mobile phone."
A video that went vital on social media showed a number of people beating and kicking someone. Abdur Rahman was among the attackers.
Teknaf upazila Awami League general secretary Nurul Bashar said, the Teknaf municipal Awami League was formed one years ago. Nine committees were formed under the committee two years ago. None of the ward committees are full-fledged. Demands for a new council were raised at the meeting. This angered Abdur Rahman who, along with his brother Shukkur and their followers, began beating up two leaders.
Regarding these allegations, Abdur Rahman told Prothom Alo, "I was on the stage. When an altercation broke out with Mohammed Yusuf, but later everything was fine. When I saw the hitting and kicking, I came down from the stage and stopped the fight. Now they are spreading lies about me."
This is not the first time that allegations of assault have been made against Abdur Rahman. He has been accused in the past of assaulting a polling officer, banker, a freedom fighter, teacher, forest department official, engineer, lawyer, magistrate, party leaders, businessmen and many others.