Local Awami League leaders and activists allegedly assaulted the Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) of Parshuram in Feni yesterday.

Injured UNO HM Rakib Haider was undergoing treatment at Feni Sadar Hospital.

According to police and witnesses, the UNO, the upazila chairman and local AL leaders and activists were waiting at Dhanikunda on Feni-Parshuram road around 10:30am to welcome Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan who was scheduled to visit Bilonia land port.

At that time, Mohammad Faruk, a local AL leader, asked Rakib to get introduced with district AL vice-president Khairul Bashar Majumder Tapan, witnesses said.

As the UNO did not respond to this, Tapan got into a heated argument with Rakib, accusing him of “not showing respect to him”. At one stage, Tapan's followers started beating him up, leaving him seriously injured, they added.

Rakib was rushed to the Upazila Health Complex. Later, he was shifted to Feni Sadar Hospital.

Sarwar Zahan, a physician of the hospital, said Rakib suffered severe injuries on the head.

The shipping minister, two local AL lawmakers, deputy commissioner of the district and the superintendent of police visited the UNO at the hospital and assured him of taking actions against the culprits.

Contacted, Tapan refuted the allegation of assaulting the UNO.

Parshuram police arrested three AL men in connection with the incident.

Abul Kashem, driver of the UNO, last night filed a case against seven named people, including Tapan and the three arrestees, and 10 to 12 unnamed people with Parshuram Police Station in this connection.