Quader Mirza claims attempts on his life
Abdul Quader Mirza, mayor of Basurhat in Companiganj upazila of Noakhali, has said, “There are attempts to kill me. The administration is constantly harassing my people at their homes. Seven or eight of my men have been arrested.”
He was addressing a press briefing at 10:00am Saturday morning at the Basurhat pourashava office.
The Basurhat mayor, also the younger brother of road transport and bridges minister Obaidul Quader, said, “Even yesterday plans to kill me were being discussed at the home of the MP Ekram. DB police are raiding the homes of my leaders and activists. My people’s families are being harassed and tortured. Everything is one-sided here. Even the administration is working against me.”
Quader said even though he is not suffering from insecurity, he is worried about his people. He said, “The administration and the government know what they will do, but till the last drop of blood remains in my body, I will not budge from here.”
Abdul Quader Mirza demanded that information minister Hasan Mahmud and central leader Sujit Roy be given the responsibility to investigate the killing of journalist Borhan Uddin Mozakker and the auto-rickshaw driver Alauddin. He made an appeal to the prime minister for the killings to be investigated by the state intelligence agencies NSI and DGFI, alongside a judicial inquiry. He said, “If the investigations prove me or any of my men to be guilty, I will accept any punishment.”
A number of Quader Mirza’s people were with him at the press conference. Police were seen near around the pourashava office at the time.
In the meantime, tension prevails in Basurhat pourashava. Over 300 members of the police are patrolling the town, 100 in every shift. Several RAB teams are on patrol too. A police superintendent of the Chattogram range is also in Basurhat along with several other senior police officers. They are keeping an eye round the clock on the situation in Basurhat.
Abdul Quader Mirza emerged from the pourashava office at around 9:00am Saturday morning and has been going around various places of the Basuhat bazaar with around 25 to 30 of his party men and supporters.
Two more have been arrested in cases filed by the police over recent violence in the area. The two were arrested during a raid in Basurhat pourashava area on Friday night. They are both followers of Abdul Quader Mirza. This brings the number of persons arrested in the recent violence in Basurhat and Chapashirhat up to 38. Former chairman of Companiganj upazila parishad and upazila Awami League organising secretary Mizanur Rahman Badal is among the arrested.
Speaking to several traders at the Basurhat bazaar in Companiganj Saturday morning, it was learnt that many of them who were involved in political activities were keeping their shops closed in fear of arrest. The scare of arrest had spread among leaders and activists of Awami League and its affiliated organisations. Police were deployed at the Rupali Chattar, Bangabandhu Chattar, the pourashava gate, the upazila parishad gate and other important intersections of the town. RAB personnel were on patrol.
Clashes had broken on 19 February in Chaprashirhat Bazar, Companiganj, between supporters of Abdul Quader Mirza and Mizanur Rahman. Journalist Borhan Uddin Mozakker received bullet injuries in during the armed clashes. He was taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital where he died on 20 February while undergoing treatment. On the night of 9 March fire was exchanged again during clashes between the two sides at the Basurhat pourashava intersection. Jubo League activist Alauddin (32) was hit by a bullet during the clashes and died.