Anti-drug crusader beaten mercilessly

An anti-drug campaigner narrowly escaped being shot by some unidentified criminals in Chirirbandar upazila on Tuesday, but was beaten up mercilessly by them.

The victim is Fazlur Rahman, 42, son of Jashim Uddin of Kazipara village, reportedly a stronghold of Jamaat-Shibir, in Chirirbandar upazila of the district.

Fazlur runs Raninagar Shanti Sangha, an anti-drug organisation in the area.

Witnesses said Fazlur was chatting with Ibrahim Ali in a bicycle spare parts shop when two men wearing black masks shot at Fazlur from five feet away, but he was not hit by a bullet.

As the magazine of the revolver became empty, the criminals beat Fazlur mercilessly, breaking his hand, and fled the spot.

Personnel of Chirirbandar Police Station went to the spot at around midnight and recovered six bullet shells. Officer-in-charge (OC) of the police station Anisur Rahman said Fazlur's life was saved as the bullets were defective.

Police are investigating the incident, the OC said, adding that they sent Fazlur to Dinajpur Medical College Hospital.

Fazlur alleged that local drug traders carried out the attack on him.

He used to work as journalist of local a daily in Dinajpur but stopped when his house was vandalised on the night war criminal Abdul Quader Mollah was hanged, he added.