BNP men chase LGED contractors out of Pirojpur

This was claimed by the contractors at a press conference held in Barisal city Thursday evening.

The Pirojpur Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) had invited bids for Tk 32 crore works under the Rural Infrastructure Improvement Project (RIIP), assisted by the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The last date for dropping tenders was March 11 till 1 pm.

Tap here to add The Daily Star as a trusted source

Fourteen contractors from Barisal started for Pirijpur in four microbuses and two cars on Thursday in the morning.

They were Mahbub Alam, Mahfuz Khan, Shahin, Monir, Motiur Rahman, Obayed, Jahangir, Poly, Haider, Delware, Shafiq, Kalam, Sabuj and Zahid.

As they crossed Bekutia ferry terminal, BNP activists carrying shotguns, pistols and revolvers stopped them on the way.

The BNP activists included Md Alamgir, Pirojpur district BNP secretary; Riaz Hossain, nephew of Whip Shahidul Huq Zamal MP; Habibur Rahman Malek, president of Pirojpur Abahoni Club and Md. Mofakkher, Banaripara upazila BNP Joint Secretary, the contractors claimed.

The BNP activists told them that they had 'managed' officials and none else would be allowed to drop tender.

There was exchange of words. At one stage, Riaz hit contractor Delwar and Haider with the but of a revolver and others pointed their firearms.

They snatched their tender documents. Delwar and Haider were injured.

The contractors then went to Pirojpur town for treatment of their injured colleagues. They also went near Pirojpur LGED office and saw a large number of BNP men there. The BNP men chased and forced them to return to Barisal.

They said they will go to court and also lodge a complaint to BNP high-ups.