AL Lawmaker Bodi Beats Engineer

Cox's Bazar contractors on indefinite strike

20 June 2010, 18:00 PM

A Correspondent, Cox's Bazar

Local contractors yesterday went on an indefinite strike across the district protesting the beating of Roads and Highways Department (RHD) executive engineer by the ruling party lawmaker Abdur Rahman Bodi. Bodi, an MP of Cox's Bazar-4 (Ukhia) constituency beat the RHD Executive Engineer Md Abdul Halim at Kutupalong under Ukhia upazila on June 16 in front of several hundred people, the association alleged. Joynal Abedin, general secretary of the association said they informed the deputy commissioner of Cox's Bazar of the matter on June 17 and wanted to draw attention of prime minister. He said they also gave a three-day ultimatum till June 19 demanding a fair trial and punishment to the persons involved. Joynal said the engineer was supervising the restoration work of a collapsed road when the MP appeared on the scene. The RHD official assured the MP of restoring the road link within two hours, he added. The MP wanted to know, who the contractor was. Realizing that a Jamaat lelader, Enam Sikder, was the contractor, he flew into a rage and started kicking and punching the engineer. Later, police and local Awami League leaders restrained him. Bodi, however, denied the allegation. He said the furious mob attacked Halim as they were suffering much due to road collapse. "I held him by the hand and pulled to save his life. Now the whole blame is being shifted on me," Bodi said.