'Local BCL men behind attack'

Feni BNP leaders and activists claimed to have identified some of the men who attacked Khaleda Zia's motorcade on Saturday.

After analysing the video footage of the incident, they said three of the attackers were local leaders of Bangladesh Chhatra League. But the BNP leaders preferred not to be named fearing reprisals.

One of them, they identified, is Osman Goni Real, president of Feni's Sharshadi union Chhatra League.

The Daily Star attempted to contact Osman over the phone, but it was switched off. This newspaper could not verify the claim independently.

Local BNP leaders also claimed to have identified two other BCL men-- Sabuj of Feni Government College, and Farhad, general secretary of Millia Madrasa unit BCL.

However, BCL leaders outright denied the allegations and put the blame on the activists of Chhatra Dal, the pro-BNP student body.

Contacted, BCL President Saifur Rahman Sohag said, "There is no way Chhatra League was involved. Some Chhatra Dal leaders, who were deprived of posts [in their organisation's committees], launched the attack … ."

Asked about the footage, he said they were doctored.

Echoing a similar view, Javed Haider, general secretary of Feni unit of BCL, said the photograph that was shown in the media was not of Osman.

"By carrying out the attack, BNP activists are trying to instigate journalists against the Awami League and Chhatra League," he told our Feni correspondent.

Feni police have been scrutinising the footage to identify the culprits involved in the attack.

Rashed Khan Chowdhury, officer-in-charge of Feni Sadar Police Station, told The Daily Star that they were yet to identify anyone from the footage.

Khaleda's motorcade came under attack at Mohammad Ali Bazar of Feni on Saturday afternoon. The BNP and its archrival Awami League have been pointing fingers at each other since. Several media vehicles were vandalised in the attack.

Soon after the incident, local BNP leaders told the party's Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir that the attack was led by Sharshadi Union Parishad Chairman Jane Alam, also a Jubo League leader.