Ex-BNP MP sued by party rival in Barisal
Jahiruddin Swapan
Former lawmaker and BNP central leader Jahiruddin Swapan was sued yesterday by a party rival for snatching, demanding toll, ransacking cars and looting office in Gournadi. Swapan was elected from Gournadi-Agoiljhara constituency in 2001 election. The case was filed with a magistrate court in Gournadi by Md. Arafat, younger brother of Mahmud Tuhin, president of Jatiyatabadi Tarun Dal and Tuhin Foundation. Mahmud, a local BNP leader, was aspirant for four-party alliance ticket from Gournadi-Agoiljhara constituency in 2001 election. Fourteen other BNP activists were also accused in the case filed under sections 140, 323, 379, 385, 387, 427, 447, 448,506 of Bangladesh Penal Code. The 14 are Gournadi municipality chairman and upazila BNP president Nurul Alam Howladar, upazila BNP secretary Saidul Alam Sentu, municipal Jubo Dal vice-president Shamim Khalifa, Gournadi Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) secretary and former vice-president of Gournadi College Students Union Zakir Hossain Raza, ward commissioner Jamal Matubbor, upazila BNP activists AFM Rashid Dulal, AFM Farid, Kamal Talukdar, Zafar, Russel, Chhoton and Nayon Talukdar, Agoiljhara upazila BNP secretary Md. Bakhtiar and Agoiljhara upazila JCD president Md. Khokon. Magistrate Munim Hassan ordered the officer-in-charge of Gournadi police station to record the case after investigation. In the case, it was alleged that followers of Zahiruddin Swapan demanded a toll of Tk 10 lakh from members of Tuhin Foundation when their motorcade stopped at Gourmand bus stand on December 1 last year for tea. After altercations BNP activists attacked and ransacked four microbuses and the local office of Tuhin Foundation. The attackers damaged and looted property worth Tk 3.75 lakh, injuring at least 13 people. Local people rescued and escorted them to safety. Seven of the injured people were admitted to local hospital, Arafat alleged in the case. In the case, it was also alleged that the accused persons also snatched Tk 2.96 lakh from AKM Nurul Islam, advisor of the foundation, on August 25 last year at Sharikal. They also attacked an Iftar Mahfil of the foundation at Mahilara in Gournadi, ransacked the venue and looted goods worth Tk 1 lakh, Arafat alleged. He also said in the complaint that at that time, police declined to record any case against the then lawmaker due to his political influence.
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