Case virtually shelved for one year
Exactly one year ago, Bangladesh Chhatra League attacked a joint rally of the Communist Party of Bangladesh and Bangladesher Samajtantrik Dal in Sylhet city, but none of the five named accused has been arrested till date.
The attack had injured 35 people including CPB chief Mujahidul Islam Selim and 10 policemen including the officer-in-charge of Kotwali Police Station.
The two left-leaning parties held the rally in Court Point area on September 15 protesting corruption, price hikes of essentials, and graft in the power sector.
Witnesses said around 150 BCL men had rampaged through the venue for 25 minutes and beat up the party leaders in front of police and Rapid Action Battalion (Rab). When the law enforcers had intervened, the BCL marauders attacked them, too.
At that time, BCL men had defended their action, saying the speakers of the rally made "objectionable" remarks about the prime minister and the government.
Police later sued 65 BCL men but refused to record a case by the CPB. Of the accused, the names of five including then acting president of the district BCL Hiron Mahmud Nipu were mentioned.
Additional Deputy Commissioner of Sylhet Metropolitan Police Mohammad Rahmat Ullah admitted that there had been no arrest and no progress in the investigation.
Sub-inspector Bikash of Kotwali Police Station, the current investigator, said he received the case four or five months ago, and the probe would take some more time.
Yesterday, Santras Protirodh Mancha, a platform of general people to resist crime, formed a human chain at Sylhet Central Shaheed Minar, demanding arrest of the attackers.
Comments