Relatives of a councillor of Barishal City Corporation and president of Bus Owners’ Association have alleged that the two have been picked up by two men who identified themselves as members of law enforcement agencies.
The two are -- councillor Sheikh Sayeed Ahmed alias Manna, also organising secretary of Barishal city Awami League, and Barishal-Patuakhali Bus Owners’ Association’s president Momin Uddin alias Kalu.
Sheikh Sayeed Ahmed was picked up from his sister’s house in the capital’s Shia Masjid area in Mohammadpur around 10.00pm on Friday, claimed his elder brother and a former Chhatra League leader Sheikh Masud Ahmed.
However, the officer-in-charge (OC) of Barishal Kotwali police station Nurul Islam claimed that he did not know anything about the incident.
Sheikh Masud Ahmed said that Sayeed was staying at his sister’s house in Mohammadpur’s Shia Masjid area in Dhaka. At around 9.45pm on Friday two men in plainclothes came and introduced themselves as members of the law enforcement. Later, they picked him up in a microbus. However, those two men did not say where he was being taken.
Masud Ahmed said they immediately inquired about his brother at Mohammadpur police station and Barishal Kotwali model police station. But the officials of both the police stations said they had not arrested or detained his brother.
Speaking to Prothom Alo on Friday night, Md Abdul Latif, OC of Mohammadpur police station said, “A man came in search of councillor Sayeed Ahmed. No one of that name was arrested. We don’t know whether members of other law enforcement agencies have arrested him or not.”
Councillor Sayeed Ahmed is accused no. 2 in a case filed over clashes between police and the local Awami League leaders and activists. Momin Uddin is the accused no. 46 in the same case. Transport leader Momin Uddin is also a member of Barishal City Jubo League, youth wing of ruling Bangladesh Awami League.
Momin was picked up by some people identifying themselves as members of law enforcement from his house in ward no. 26 of the city, claimed Momin’s brother-in-law, Arifur Rahman.
However, Barishal Kotowali model police station OC, Nurul Islam said, “Councillor Sheikh Sayeed is accused no. 2 and Momin accused no. 46 in the case lodged over the allegations of vandalising the official residence of upazila nirbahi officer (UNO) and obstructing government duties. But, we do not have any information about their arrest.”
Earlier, on Wednesday, a clash broke out between the leaders and activists of Awami League and Chhatra League and members of Ansar and police over a dispute regarding removing posters.
Munibur Rahman, UNO of Barishal sadar upazila, alleged that, “There were some posters of state minister for water resources, Col. (Retd.) Zaheed Farooque on the upazila parishad premises. On Wednesday, some leaders and activists of Chhatra League came at night to remove the posters. But they were asked to come in the morning as people there were sleeping that time. They insulted me for this reason. They threw bricks and vandalised my house.”
Two cases have been lodged over this incident. In both of the cases, Barishal City Corporation mayor Sadiq Abdullah has been made the prime accused. The other accused are members and activists of Awami League and Chhatra League.