Thursday's Incident

Atwary UNO sues 150 including UZ chairman

24 October 2009, 17:00 PM

Our Correspondent, Thakurgaon

Atwary upazila nirbahi officer (UNO) Rashedul Hasan on Friday night sued 150 people identifying 21 of them, including the upazila (UZ) chairman, for Thursday's untoward incident in his office. In the case filed with Panchagarh police station, the UNO accused them of ransacking his office, assaulting him and confining him to his office room on Thursday. Besides, Atwary UZ chairman Touhidul Islam, he brought charges against his two brothers, three union parishad (UP) chairmen of the upazila and a few Awami League (AL), Jubo League and Chhatra League (BCL) leaders. The 21 accused include the elder brother of the upazila chairman who is also headmaster of Atwary Pilot High School Khademul Islam, another brother and headmaster of Torea High School, organising secretary of upazila unit Awami League Fazlul Karim, chairman of Balarampur UP and also acting president of upazila unit AL Saidur Rahaman, Radhanagar UP chairman and also general secretary of upazila Krishak League Rashidul Islam, convener of upazila BCL Mokhlesur Rahaman, joint secretary of upazila AL, also headmaster of Atwary Pilot Girls' High School Mizanur Rahman, joint secretary of upazila AL Sajjat Selim, headmaster of Radhanagar Girls'High School Md Wazed Ali, general secretary of upazila Jubo League Nahid Pervez Zahid, general secretary of upazila Sramik League Md Alamgir, organising secretary of upazila AL Abdul Quddus, Mokbul, Fahim, Shahidul of Jubo League, Biplob, Manik, Selim, Taher and Nasir of BCL and driver of upazila chairman Abul. In the case, the UNO complained that with the backing of the 21 identified accused, about 150 people vandalised his office and assaulted him. "I filed case against those who created obstacles to carrying out government work and damaged government property. They also attacked me and attempted on my life," he told this correspondent yesterday. He alleged that the supporters of the upazila chairman also harassed upazila livestock officer, education officer and other upazila officials who were at work on the day. On Thursday, several hundred supporters of upazila chairman Touhidul Islam besieged the UNO's office as the UNO locked the upazila chairman's office and motor garage on Wednesday night. The agitators also confined the UNO to his office room for about four and a half hours. Later local lawmaker Mozaharul Haque Prodhan, additional deputy commissioner Zaharul Haque, Nazrul Islam and other district administration officials rushed to the spot and arranged a meeting between upazila chairman and the UNO. After an hour- long meeting, the UNO was freed and allowed to go home.