In Netrokona, people held hostage by extortionist Chhatra Dal president son and Jamaat leader father

❐ Local correspondent

Netrokona District Chhatra Dal President Anik Mahmud Chowdhury has been accused of beating up a contractor of the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) for demanding a bribe of Tk 2 million. The incident took place at the district Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) office on Wednesday afternoon, September 10.

Taking the matter into consideration, a show cause notice has also been issued by the central committee.

The victim, Sarwar Jahan, is a resident of Changaon village in Madan upazila. He is the former joint secretary of the upazila Chhatra Dal, former general secretary of the Swechchhasebak Dal and currently a first-class contractor of LGED.

LGED office sources said that while he was sitting in the executive engineer’s room, a young man named Sumon called Sarwar out. After that, District Chhatra Dal President Anik Mahbub Chowdhury started hitting, punching and kicking him. He allegedly dragged him inside the office and beat him from the second floor to the ground floor. Later, officials, employees and Ansar members rescued the victim. On receiving information, the police went to the spot and brought the situation under control.

Sarwar Jahan complained, “I went to the office for work. Before I knew it, the Chhatra Dal president beat me up and abused former state minister Lutfuzzaman Babar and district BNP president Professor Anwar in obscene language. If we are not safe even when we go to the office, where can we go?”

LGED Executive Engineer Md. Rabiul Islam confirmed the incident and said, “I immediately informed the police and higher authorities. Action will be taken as per the decision.”

However, denying the allegations, District Chhatra Dal President Anik Mahbub Chowdhury claimed, “Sumon was arguing with the contractor Sarwar. I went to the spot. I am being unnecessarily implicated here.”

Netrokona Model Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Kazi Shah Newaz said, “We have not received any written complaint so far. Legal action will be taken if a complaint is received.”

It is learned that Halim Ahmed, the father of accused Chhatra Dal president Anik Mahbub Chowdhury, is the current general secretary of Netrokona Municipality Jamaat-e-Islami’s Rokon and Press Club.

There are allegations among local journalists that he seized the post of general secretary by rigging the Press Club elections after August 5th of last year by resorting to mob violence.

The general public complains that the father and son are exerting influence in the area due to their political affiliations. As a result, the victims are being deprived of justice and the administration is also facing an embarrassing situation.