Gaibandha Correspondent
Gaibandha district joint conveners of the anti-discrimination student movement Shafiqul Islam Akash, Mehedi Hasan and joint member secretary Shefaur Rahman Shipon were attacked. They were rescued and admitted to Sadar Hospital in serious condition.
The attack took place on the last day of the month-long cottage industry and goods fair at the Swadhinata premises of the district town on Monday night around 8:30 pm. Eyewitnesses said that a group of miscreants suddenly attacked the leaders of the student movement inside the fair. At one point, the attackers physically assaulted them and hit them with sharp objects. Three people were injured in the incident.
Mehedi Hasan and Shefaur Rahman, who were injured in the hospital, said that Asaduzzaman, the district joint member secretary of the student movement, went to the fair with his family. At that time, an employee of a shop at the fair harassed Asaduzzaman. After learning about the matter, some of them went to the fair. At that time, they talked to the shop owner and threw the employee out of the fair. Later, when they were leaving the fair, they saw two unknown women being beaten with steel spoons by a group of people. When they stopped them from beating them on charges of theft, they attacked them with sharp weapons. Akash, Mehedi and Shipon were injured.
Bayozid Bostami Jim, member secretary of the Gaibandha district branch of the Students' Movement Against Discrimination, who was with the injured at the hospital, said that they were attacked unexpectedly. First, they tried to hit Asaduzzaman and Mehedi with sharp knives. When Mehedi tried to save him, Akash was stabbed in the chest with a knife. He complained that the incident was reported to the OC of Sadar Police Station and the army, but they did not take any action. The attack was planned and carried out as part of a terrorist and opportunistic conspiracy by the Chhatra League.
Meanwhile, the leaders of the Student Movement Against Discrimination took a stand at Sadar Police Station at around 12:45 am on Monday night, strongly condemning and protesting the attack. In addition, in an immediate press release, they expressed strong anger over the attack and demanded the immediate arrest of the culprits and exemplary punishment.
Upon receiving the news of the incident, Sadar Upazila Executive Officer (UNO) Md. Mahmud Al Hasan and members of the army immediately went to Sadar Hospital. During this time, they inquired about the injured and spoke to them.
Later, UNO Md. Mahmud Al Hasan told reporters that the police and members of the army are also working to investigate the attack. Those involved will be identified soon and legal action will be taken.
In this regard, Gaibandha Sadar Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Shahinur Talukder said that a case has been registered against nine people in the police station in this incident. Three people, including the main accused in the case, have been arrested. Efforts are underway to arrest the other accused.
