Hezbut Tawheed blames Jamaat for attack in Noakhali

Islamist group Hezbut Tawheed today blamed Jamaat-e-Islami, Hefazat-e-Islam and Islami Shashon Tontro Andolon for the death of two of its men during a clash with villagers in Sonaimuri upazila of Noakhali on Monday.

Condemning the attack, the group demanded proper investigation and punishment of those responsible.

“Villagers didn’t attack. It was the Jamaat-e-Islami men. They lied about our party and provoked the attack,” said Rufaydah Panni, daughter of Hezbut founder Mohd Bayazid Khan Panni.

Instead of catching the real killers, the police arrested the Tawheed men, she said and demanded their unconditional release.

Questioning the role of the police, Hezbut ameer Moshiour Rahman said, “We warned the police beforehand that such an incident might take place. Had they provided protection, these causalities could have been avoided. They (the party men) would still be alive.”

Two Hezbut operatives and a local were killed and over 150 others, including several policemen, injured during Monday’s clash between villagers and the Hezbut men over building a mosque for the Islamist group in Sonaimuri upazila.

The Hezbut activists are Ibrahim Khan Rubel, 27, son of Nurul Haque, and Mohammad Solaiman, 24, of Pourkara village, and local Mujibul Haque Mujib, 50, of Khodkhasta village. Mujib was shot dead, while marks of stab were found on the bodies of the two other deceased, said police.