‘Was forced off stage by mayor’s men’

Mother of Diaz Irfan Chowdhury -- assistant general secretary of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), whose body was found in his flat near Chittagong University on November 20, 2016 -- has expressed her anger at  Chattogram City Corporation Mayor AJM Nasir Uddin.

The Daily Star obtained a video clip of Jaheda Amin Chowdhury, Diaz’s mother, expressing her resentment at the mayor yesterday -- present as chief speaker at an event organised by Chattogram city unit of Krishak League to administer oath against terrorism and drugs at Chattogram Press Club.

Eye witnesses said Jaheda, women’s affairs secretary of Chattogram city unit of Krishak League, started crying when she saw Nasir entering the venue. She demanded punishment for her son’s murderers. At one stage, followers of Nasir stopped her and escorted her to a corner of the auditorium, they said.

Leaving the auditorium, Jaheda said she forbade her son from following Nasir’s leadership, as “he does not tolerate followers who have ambitions”.

“My son did not heed my words…Youngsters do not understand… If they go missing like Diaz, he [Nasir] would not speak for them,” she said in the one-minute-long video clip.

Contacted, Jaheda said when she was speaking at the meeting, the mayor reached the auditorium. “I told the mayor: my son was his follower but he was not vocal in demanding punishment for the murderers. I asked him why false postmortem report was given under his guidance. At this time, Nasir’s followers made me leave the stage. I went outside; the mayor’s PS and another person asked me to go home, otherwise there will be consequences,” she said.

Contacted, Raihan Uddin, Nasir’s personal secretary, denied the allegation. “Diaz’s mother became overwrought with emotion and demanded that the mayor ensure punishment of her son’s murderers. No one made her leave the auditorium and no one gave her threats,” he said.

Contacted, Kazi Anwar Hafiz, general secretary of Krishak League’s port city unit, denied the allegation of escorting Diaz’s mother outside. “Jaheda Amin is a leader of our organisation. She was overcome with emotions about her son’s death but stayed till the end of the programme,” he said, adding, “No untoward incident happened at the meeting.”

Mayor Nasir could not be reached for comments despite repeated attempts.