CU teacher 'threatened at gunpoint'

Identifying themselves as activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) of Chittagong University, a group of youths yesterday allegedly threatened a teacher for his activism against the holding tax reassessment programme by Chittagong City Corporation.

One of them also brandished a firearm, said the victim, Md Amir Uddin, an associate professor of the university's Institute of Education Research (IER).

He said some 10-12 youths stormed room no. 208 at IER where he was working with a colleague around 1:30pm.

“Entering the room, the BCL men asked my name. When I gave my identity, they started hurling abuses at me and threatened me for my involvement with the movement against Chittagong City Corporation's tax reassessment,” he said.

"One of them also pulled out a gun and pointed it to my forehead when I tried to pacify them. They asked me to stop my movement and said otherwise I would face dire consequences," said the teacher.

Amir Uddin is the general secretary of Chattagram Kordata Surokkha Parishad, a group created to protect the taxpayers of Chittagong.

He along with a businessman launched the movement after CCC announced a programme in March last year to reassess the holding tax paid by house owners.

The group held different programmes in the last one year, saying that due to the re-assessment, the amount of tax would increase manifold. It calls upon the city corporation to keep the tax rise at a tolerable level.

Amir Uddin said he did not know any of the youths who threatened him identifying themselves as BCL men. "I verbally informed the matter to the proctor."

A general diary was also filed with Hathazari Police Station. Proctor Ali Asgar Chowdhury said they were looking into the incident.

Meanwhile, when asked, president of CU's suspended BCL committee Alamgir Tipu said he did not know of the youths. "Someone might have done this with an ill-motive to tarnish the image of CCC Mayor AJM Nasir Uddin.”

Tipu is known as a loyalist of the mayor.

On the other hand, the suspended BCL committee's general secretary Fazly Rabbi Sujan told The Daily Star that he conveyed the issue to central leaders.

He also denied knowing any of the so-called BCL activists who threatened the teacher.

Sujan is known to be a supporter of former CCC mayor ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury, who vehemently opposed the holding tax reassessment.