‘AL men’ chops day labourer suspecting him going to BNP rally

Injured day labourer Mobarak Hossain
Collected

Miscreants chopped a day labourer suspecting him going to attend the rally of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) in Gafargaon upazila in Mymensingh on Saturday morning.

The incident took place at Uthuri intersection in the upazila at around 11:00am.

Injured Mobarak Hossain, 33, is from Aluddia village in Barhatta upazila in Netrokona. He works as a day labourer at marriage ceremonies at community centres.

Speaking to Prothom Alo, Zakir Hossain, deputy assistant medical officer at the emergency department at Gafargaon Upazila Health Complex said the vein of Mobarak’s right wrist has sustained a deep cut. He was advised to take treatment at Mymensingh Medical College Hospital.

Injured Mobarak told Prothom Alo over mobile phone that he stays in Kishoreganj district and works as a labourer at different programmes at community centres.

My house is in Netrokona and I stay in Kishoreganj town. I don’t even know anyone in Gafargaon upazila
Injured day labourer Mobarak Hossain

He said a total of 12 labourers, including him, were going to Gafargaon via Hossainpur in Kishoreganj district this morning for work at a marriage ceremony at Kadir community centre in the upazila. A group of miscreants intercepted them at Uthuri intersection and suspecting them going to attend the BNP’s rally at Mymensingh polytechnic ground, started beating indiscriminately without asking any question.

Mobarak further said at a stage someone chopped at his right hand.

Injured Mobarak was taken to Gafargaon Upazila Health Complex.

“My house is in Netrokona and I stay in Kishoreganj town. I don’t even know anyone in Gafargaon upazila,” he said.

Mobarak said though the physician advised him to take treatment at Mymensingh Medical College Hospital, he is staying at Gafargaon.

The BNP activists are being hindered at different spots on their way to attend the rally. The activists are being intercepted at Phulbaria, Muktagachha and Tarakanda
Emran Salen Prince, BNP’s central organising secretary

Local people said ruling Awami League men have taken position at Uthuri intersection with bamboo sticks and other local weapons from Friday evening. They have been beating up people randomly if they suspect someone going to attend the rally of BNP, the de facto opposition of Awami League.

The local people also said the tomtom, a local mode of transportation that was carrying Mobarak and other labourers was asked to stop at Uthuri intersection first. As the driver did not stop the vehicle immediately, the AL men started beating the driver and the passengers.

Gafargaon police station officer-in-charge Faruq Ahmed said he did not know about any such incident at Uthuri intersection.

Speaking to Prothom Alo on Saturday morning, BNP’s central organising secretary Emran Salen Prince said, “The BNP activists are being hindered at different spots on their way to attend the rally. The activists are being intercepted at Phulbaria, Muktagachha and Tarakanda.”

BNP has called the rally demanding polls time caretaker government and protesting against price hike of oil and other daily necessaries.

Party’s secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir will address the programme that would start at 2:00pm.