Barisal Correspondent:
It has been alleged that a BNP leader led an attack on Jangalpatri village in Mahilara union of Gournadi upazila of Barisal, vandalizing and looting houses, beating and slashing three people, injuring them, over a dispute over dominance and extortion. A case was filed at Gournadi Model Police Station on Tuesday, naming 11 people and 12 others as accused.
Eyewitnesses, local people and the injured have learned that Md. Nazrul Islam (58), a local BNP leader and former UP member of Mahilara Union in Jangalpatri village of Mahilara Union in Gournadi Upazila, had been in a dispute with Mirajul Islami Sikder (32), a local Jubo Dal leader of the same village. BNP leader Mirajul Sikder alleged that he was given the responsibility of supervising the construction of a road in the area. When I went to work on the road, BNP leader and former UP member of Mahilara Union Md. Nazrul Islam demanded a bribe of two lakh taka. When I refused to pay the bribe, he threatened me.
On Monday afternoon, I had an argument with Nazrul Member over extortion demands. As a result, around 8:30 pm on Monday, 20/25 terrorists led by Nazrul Member attacked my house with iron pipes, sharp weapons and sticks and vandalized my house. At one point, they entered the house and broke open the cupboard and looted. When I tried to stop them, my father Atahar Sikder (65), mother Rashida Begum (52) and sister Laiju Akhter (35) were hacked and beaten, leaving them bloody. The terrorists looted about 6 lakh taka worth of jewellery and valuables. When they went too far, they threatened to burn down my house and kill my 6-month-old son Jobair Islam.
The three injured have been admitted to the Gournadi Upazila Health Complex. As the condition deteriorated, Atahar Sikder was sent to Barisal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital on Tuesday. When asked about the allegations, Nazrul Islam said that the allegations of extortion and house attack are not true. Gournadi Model Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Md. Yunus Mia said that in this incident, Jubo Dal leader Mirajul Sikder filed a case with Gournadi Model Police Station on Tuesday naming 11 people and 12 others as accused, including unidentified people.
