Assault by BCL Leader Rony: Rashed, wife flee home

Uniaid Coaching Centre Director Rashed Miah, who lodged a written complaint against Bangladesh Chhatra League leader Nurul Azim Rony on Thursday after a video clip of the latter assaulting him went viral on social media, has fled home feeling insecure.

Rashed in the general diary filed with Panchlaish Police Station the same day has also sought security as “Rony and his musclemen were threatening him for filing the complaint”.

“On Thursday, Rashed filed a general diary seeking security,” Mohiuddin Mahmud, officer-in-charge of the police station, told The Daily Star. “We have started our investigation.”

Meanwhile, Panchlaish police registered the compliant as a case on Thursday night an hour after Rony was suspended from the post of general secretary of Chittagong city Unit BCL.

Rashed in the complaint mentioned that Rony physically assaulted him and repeatedly slapped him inside the office room of the coaching centre in city's GEC area on February 17 while demanding Tk 20 lakh as extortion money.

Contacted, Deputy Commissioner (North) Md Abdul Warish of Chittagong Metropolitan Police said, “The written complaint was registered as a case and police have launched an investigation…”

“We have also collected the CCTV footage... We are analysing it,” he said. “Legal actions would be taken if the allegation turns out to be true.”

RASHED FLEES HOME

Feeling insecure, Rashed and his wife have been staying at their relatives' houses.

“Soon after filing the complaint on Thursday noon, Rony and his fellows went to my residence in Sugandha Residential area in the evening…” he told The Daily Star over the phone.

“He even went to my office and later called me a number of times. We are feeling worried…”

Earlier, a video clip went viral on social media where a furious Rony was seen slapping Rashed time and again, grabbing him by the hair.

At one point, the BCL leader goes outside the room and comes back a little later. He then lights a cigarette and talks to someone over phone. Hanging up the phone, he starts slapping Rashed again. In the 6:02-minute clip, Rony was seen slapping Rashed 13 times.

The Daily Star could not independently verify the authenticity of the clip. Rashed claimed he was beaten as he had refused to pay Rony extortion money.

RONY CLAIMS INNOCENCE

Meanwhile, in a Facebook post on Thursday night, Rony posted 10 screenshots of a conversation between him and Rashed. In the post, he said he started the coaching centre along with Rashed after investing his family money.

Apart from that, in a statement issued by Rony right after the incident, he claimed that he gave Tk 9.50 lakh as a loan to Rashed in two phases.

He also said he went to the coaching centre on February 17 to inquire about irregularities at the coaching centre.

As they were business partners, the two had “a quarrel” over some issues after which both of them became “a little excited”, he claimed.

The Daily Star has obtained a copy of the statement. It did not have Rony's signature.

When asked, Rashed said, “There are no business relations between Rony and me. He is doing all the things using his political identity.”

After the clip went viral since on Thursday evening, Rony, in a statement posted on his Facebook page, said he had stepped down from his post.

HE HAS DONE IT BEFORE

This is not the first time Rony came to light for his actions. Earlier on March 31, a principal of a college was allegedly assaulted by him.

Jahed Khan, principal of Chattogram Biggan College, located at Chawk Bazar, came under the attack as the BCL men, led by Rony, alleged that the principal was realising “extra money” as part of a development fee from the HSC examinees.

The incident came to light after the CCTV footage of the incident went viral on social media. It shows that the BCL men, led by Rony, pushed the principal into his office.

At one point, Rony also punched him in the head.

Apart from that, Rony is a charge-sheeted accused in an arms case filed with Hathazari Police Station on May 7, 2016.

He was arrested along with a 9mm pistol and 15 bullets from outside of an election centre.

SI Delwar Hossain, the case's investigation officer, submitted the charge sheet before the court on June 19, 2016.