Eight ruling party men charged

Police yesterday pressed charges against eight people, including Feni district Awami League Vice-President Khairul Bashar Majumder Tapan, in a case filed for assaulting Parshuram Upazila Nirbahi Officer.

Parshuram Police Station's Officer-in-Charge Abul Kashem Chowdhury Jalal Uddin, also investigating officer of the case, submitted the charge sheet before the Senior Judicial Magistrate's Court in the afternoon.

Magistrate Sheikh Md Badiul Alam fixed May 26 for hearing the case.

He also rejected a bail petition moved by the three accused and sent them to jail.

OC Kashem said the case was filed under the speedy trial act and the police pressed charges against Tapan, Chithalia Union Parishad Chairman Jasim Uddin and six others.

On May 6, local AL leaders and activists allegedly assaulted Parshuram UNO HM Rakib Haider for “not showing respect to Tapan”.

Around 10:30am, the UNO, the upazila chairman and some local AL leaders and activists were waiting at Dhanikunda on Feni-Parshuram road 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 Tapan.

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

Rakib was taken to Feni Sadar Hospital.

The UNO's diver, Abul Kashem, filed a case against seven named people, including Tapan, with Parshuram Police Station that night.

Parshuram police arrested six accused of the case while Tapan and Jasim surrendered before a Feni court.