Ctg taxpayers’ council president jailed in DSA case

A court today sent Nurul Absar, the president of "Chattogram Kordata Surakhkha Parishad," to jail in a case filed under the Digital Security Act for making comments against port city Mayor Rezaul Karim Chowdhury.

Chattogram Cyber Tribunal Judge Jahirul Kabir gave the order after rejecting his bail prayer, said court sources.

Meanwhile, parishad leaders took out a protest rally from the court premises and marched to the city's Kadamtali.

On September 20, Mostafa Kamal Chowdhury Dulal, assistant personal secretary of the mayor, lodged the DSA case with Chandgaon Police Station

Nurul Absar in a meeting on September 19 held at the port city's West Madarbari area warned to drive the mayor out of the city if he did not stop the initiative to realise holding tax as per "re-assessment".

"We live in the city paying a total of 11 sorts of tax… we do not live in your [mayor] house. If you [mayor] speak bullshit, we will drive you out of the city… you will have to leave the city," he said in the meeting.

Absar also declared to organise a mass procession in the city on Friday [September 23] protesting the CCC's initiative to increase the holding tax. They demanded the CCC stop the initiative of increasing holding tax.

In his speech, Absar said, "The mayor said that we will have to pay the holding tax as per the assessment conducted in 1986. The assessment was conducted in 1986, and after that, the CCC had a number of mayors, but neither of them implemented it because they thought that the city dwellers wouldn't be able to pay the increased tax."

Amir Uddin, the parishad's general secretary, said Nurul Absar had earlier secured bail in the case from High Court.

He then surrendered before the lower court to extend the bail on November 22 but the court rejected his bail prayer and sent him to jail yesterday, he added.

"We will now launch tougher movement against the CCC," he said.