AL men capture office at gunpoint, police free it

9 May 2009, 18:00 PM

Staff Correspondent, Khulna

Awami league (AL) activists yesterday captured the office of Khulna Divisional Mini Bus Owners' Asso-ciation at Sonadanga Central Bus Terminal in the city. According to police and witnesses, about 50 AL men, led by Sonadanga unit President Abul Kalam Azad, went to the bus terminal at around 12:30pm and ousted association's president Mokammel Hossain and general secretary Rabiul Islam from the office at gunpoint. They later locked the office and asked the owners and workers of all buses to support their action or to face dire consequences. The AL men's action disrupted departure of outgoing buses for over an hour and created panic among the passengers. Most of them left the terminal cancelling their journey. Police, however, entered the association office breaking open the lock at around 8:00pm and took control of it Association's President Mokammel Hossain and General Secretary Rabiul Islam told reporters that AL activists had threatened to kill them if they take any move to recapture the office and run the activities relating to financial matter. On Friday night, Rabiul and member of the association Moazzem Hossain were injured as they came under attack by AL activists near Khulna Circuit House at around 11:00pm. Moazzem received head injury and is now undergoing treatment at Khulna Medical College Hospital. Sources said the AL activists, who captured the office at Sonadanga Bus Terminal, belong to the faction led by AL city unit General Secretary Mizanur Rahman Mizan.