Rashed 'admits' taking money from Rony

In a new twist in the “feud” between Chittagong-based coaching centre businessman Rashed Mia and former Chhatra League leader Nurul Azim Rony, Rashed has “admitted” that Rony was his business partner.

He also “admitted” that Rony invested in his coaching centre named Uniaid, according to three video clips posted on Rony's Facebook page.

Earlier in April, Rashed filed a case against Rony, claiming that the latter assaulted him for not paying Tk 20 lakh in extortion money.

The video of the assault went viral on social media on April 19, which led to Rony's resignation from the post of BCL general secretary of Chittagong city unit.

Rony has repeatedly denied that he demanded any extortion money and insisted he only wanted his investment money back from Rashed, who refused to do so.

The latest videos were posted on Rony's Facebook page at 2:53pm on Wednesday. The Daily Star could not independently verify the authenticity of the videos.

Contacted, Rashed claimed he made the admission under duress.

In two of the three clips, Rashed is seen confessing that he took Tk 9.5 lakh from Rony as an investment in the coaching centre business.

He is also heard saying that Rony was his business partner and that the partnership was based on trust and there was no document.

In another clip, ward-3 Councillor Kafil Uddin Khan is heard asking Rashed to amicably settle the matter with Rony.

At one stage of the conversation, Rashed said that Rony demanded some money back from him but he could not do so as the coaching business was incurring losses.

“As I failed to pay any money to Rony, he wanted the whole amount back which I took from him in 2017,” Rashed said.

In one of the clips, Rashed and several other people are seen sitting at Kafil's house in the port city. Kafil is also seen with them.

At one point, Kafil told Rashed: “If you admit your mistake … you will see, Rony will stand by you.”

Asked about the clips, Rashed claimed that seven to eight people picked him up along with one of his students Sohanul Islam from Cantonment School and College area on Tuesday.

“They beat me up and forced me to admit that Rony was my business partner. Later they took me to the house of Councillor Kafil Uddin. They also forced me to sign on three stamps, saying that I will withdraw the case,” he claimed.

Immediately after coming out of the councillor's house, he went to nearby Baizid Police Station and filed a written complaint, he added.

Ataur Rahman Khandakar, the officer-in-charge there, confirmed thisand said they were investigating the matter.

However, Rony told The Daily Star that Rashed went to the councillor's house on his own and that he was not even there at the time.

He added that Rashed himself requested the councillor the settle the matter.

The Daily Star could not reach the councillor by phone for his comment despite repeated attempts.

However,in a Facebook post, the councillor quoted Rashed as telling at his house: “I was trying to withdraw the case earlier. But I could not find anyone trustworthy to help settle the matter.”

The post also says that Rashed expressed regret for doing injustice to Rony and agreed to pay the money back in instalments.

Rony made headlines in March after a video clip went viral where he was seen slapping the principal of the Chittagong Biggyan College, accusing him of realising extra money from HSC examinees.

The principal, Jahed Khan, filed a case against eight BCL men, including Rony, on April 4 accusing them of demanding Tk 20 lakh in extortion money.

Rony was sent to jail on June 4 in this case and came out of prison on bail three days later.