The political landscape of Rangpur has recently been in the spotlight over a controversial incident, where leaders of the anti-discrimination student movement were accused of extortion. The incident has been drawing criticism on social media, the media and local politics for the past few days. However, the current owner of the land, Azharul Islam Bhuiyan, has clarified his position by holding a press conference on his behalf. He claimed that his land was encroached upon and that leaders of the anti-discrimination student movement came to investigate the matter on the spot, where some of the circumstances were falsely presented.
Azharul Islam Bhuiyan is a resident of Keranipara in Rangpur city and as per his claim, he owns 4 acres 59 percent of land in Purba Khalya Mouza of Gangachara. In 2019, his brothers Atiqul Islam and Manjurul Islam Gangra occupied the land through a fake writ. He filed a case in court against this and the CID investigation proved that it was a fraud. Although the occupation of the land continued and sand was being extracted illegally from there, Azharul Islam repeatedly complained to the administration to stop it, but no effective action was taken.
In this situation, Azharul Islam requested the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement for help. He claimed that the leaders of the movement went to the spot, verified the facts and left the situation without any provocation. However, later some false videos and propaganda were spread on social media to question him and the student movement.
A video that went viral on Facebook on Saturday sparked a new debate in Rangpur politics and society. The video shows Nahid Hasan Khandaker, the spokesperson for the Rangpur Metropolitan City Students' Movement against Discrimination, negotiating with a man for money. After the video went viral, allegations of extortion were raised, and Nahid Hasan Khandaker was given a show-cause notice by the organization.
Nahid Hasan has denied the allegations and said that the video was fabricated by a section of the Jubo League to cast doubt on him and the anti-discrimination student movement. He claims that he was never involved in illegal activities and that it is a political conspiracy.
An important aspect of this incident is political influence. Azharul Islam Bhuiyan has been accused of land grabbing and illegal sand mining, and he has mentioned political and administrative influence. He has said that his brothers are using political influence to continue illegal sand mining activities and the administration has also failed to take appropriate action. Raising these allegations, he sought help from the leaders of the anti-discrimination student movement, but then they got involved in such controversial situations.
This creates a major impact on society, where it becomes clear how deep the relationship between political and administrative influence and the abuse of their power is, and what kind of harm it causes to society.
The video, which has gone viral on social media, has been explained by multiple parties. Ecopark director Belal Hossain claimed that he had spoken clearly about the incident of threatening the district administrator, demanding extortion and filming the video. However, he demanded that the video not be spread on Facebook. On the other hand, Nahid Hasan said that he never demanded extortion and that it was nothing but a conspiracy.
The video has caused confusion among different sections of society. On the one hand, those alleging extortion are seeing the video as evidence, while on the other hand, Nahid Hasan and his supporters are claiming it is false and politically motivated.
The Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, which generally fights against discrimination and protects the rights of the student community, also has a clear position. The organization has said that it does not condone any illegal activities and such incidents are completely incompatible with its values. The leadership of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement has issued a show cause notice to Nahid Hasan, which makes it clear that the organization does not want anyone involved in such activities to be among them.
Meanwhile, in the wake of the extortion allegations against Nahid Hasan and the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, Atiqul Islam has said that he will soon take legal action. This ensures that such allegations are properly investigated and action is taken against those accused.
This issue can become an important example where various individuals or groups associated with politics can engage in illegal activities for their own interests, and in that case, leaders of social movements can also find themselves in such controversial situations.
This incident in Rangpur is a major test for the anti-discrimination student movement. It will test their duty and commitment to their established principles and ideals. At the same time, this incident is exposing political and administrative opacity and their abuse of influence. As time goes by, it is hoped that this matter will be resolved through proper investigation and legal action.
This will serve as a reminder that the kind of disputes that can arise between political groups and the pursuit of individual interests can create a confusion and lack of trust among the general public, which can create instability and discomfort within society.
