Hammer attack on health worker

A health worker got his hands and legs broken as criminals attacked him with hammers in Barguna’s Amtali upazila yesterday.

The victim is Md Abul Kalam Azad, 30, son of Kanchan Ali Mridha of Chotonilganj village, and community health care provider of Islampur Community Clinic in the upazila.

He is now undergoing treatment at Barishal Sher-E-Bangla Medical College Hospital.

Lying on a bed at the hospital, Azad said he was working at his office around 10:30am. At the time, a man named Kalam entered the office and tried to drag him out of the room but failed as he resisted him.

After a while, equipped with hammers, a gang, allegedly led by Jahirul Islam Khokon, entered the office by breaking open the door and broke Azad’s hands and legs and fled the scene.

The injured was rushed to the upazila health complex and then referred to the hospital as his condition worsened.

His legs and hands were broken, said Dr Emadul Haque, medical officer of the health complex.

Azad said his uncle was elected as chairman of Chotonilganj union parishad in the last month’s UP polls. Jahirul brother Motahar Uddin Mridha also took part in the election as chairman candidate.

During election campaign, Jahirul was injured in a clash, Azad said, adding that as a sequel to the conflict, Jahirul carried out the attack.

Contacted, Jahirul refuted the allegation.

ABul Bashar, officer-in-charge of Amtali Police Station, said if a case is filed, action will be taken in this regard.