BNP leader's business firm wrecked, looted

A gang allegedly led by Mongla upazila Awami League Organising Secretary Bulbul Ijaradar ransacked and looted a business firm owned by a BNP leader on Madrasa Road in Bagerhat town Wednesday evening.
Mongla municipality BNP General Secretary and Khulna Stevedores Association's acting president Md Zulfikar Ali is the owner of the firm named MA Hashem and Sons.
Ali said an armed gang led by AL leader Bulbul Ijaradar came to his business firm Wednesday night and searched for him. As he was in Dhaka, the gang members asked his staff to close the firm, he added.
Being informed of the incident by his employees, Ali phoned Mongla Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Kazi Jalal Uddin Ahmed and sought his help. "The OC advised me not to do any business in Mongla during the tenure of the present government," Ali alleged.
Ali said he later informed Bagerhat Police Superintendent Khondaker Rafiqul Islam of the incident over cellphone and he (SP) assured him of taking action against the attackers.
He said the gang attacked his office at around 8:00pm, ransacked glasses, telephone sets and furniture and took away Tk 80,000, which was kept in the office for paying wages to the workers.
Denying the allegations, AL leader Bulbul Ijaradar said some port workers had an altercation with the employees of the business firm over payment of their arrear wages Wednesday noon.
Mongla police station OC Kazi Jalal Uddin also denied advising Zulfikar Ali not to do any business in Mongla during the tenure of the present government.
On receiving complaint from Zulfikar Ali over mobile phone, police were sent to the spot, the OC said. No case was filed with the police station in connection with the incident as of 6:00pm yesterday.