News Desk :
Nine people including Faridpur City Awami League general secretary Sajjad Hossain Barkat, (47) and Faridpur Press Club president Imtiaz Hasan Rubel (44) have been arrested.
During their arrest, police recovered firearms, whisky, cash and huge quantity of rice from their possession.
It was disclosed by Faridpur police super Alimuzzaman at a press conference held at the conference room of the Faridpur District Police on Monday.
Alimuzzaman said Faridpur District Awami League president Subal Chandra Saha’s house was vandalised, set on fire and inmates were beaten on May 16 last. Following the incident, a case was filed. Police arrested three persons-Barkat, Rubel and Bipul-from Badarpur Crossing in Faridpur city at about 10:30pm on Sunday for their alleged involvement in vandalising Subal Chandra Saha’s house. Later, Awami League leader Yasmin Sultana Bannya Mondol, Chatra League leader Enamul Islam Jony, Amiya Sarkar and Extended Ward No. 16 Awami League general secretary Narayan Chakravarty, former municipal councillor of Ward No. 6 Mahfuzur Rahman Mamun and Zahid Khan were arrested.
During the raids, police seized five pistols and 91 rounds of bullet, two shotguns and 180 rounds of cartridges, six bottles of foreign liquor, 65 yaba pills, 1,200 sacks containing 60,000 kilograms of rice with Food Department’s seal, 3,000 US dollar, 98,000 Indian rupee, Bangladesh Tk 29 lakh and five passports.
Arrested Barkat and Rubel are two siblings. The news of their arrest has created sensation in the entire Faridpur town. Sajjad Hossain Barkat is the president of Faridpur District Bus Owners Association, while his brother Imtiaz Hossain Rubel is the editor of the Dainik Bhorer Protyasa, which is published from Faridpur. He is also the president of Faridpur Press Club.
Barkat is the publisher of the newspaper.
At the press conference, SP Alimuzzaman said two pistols loaded with bullets were seized from Barkat and Rubel’s waists.
Besides, foreign liquor and 1,200 sacks of government rice were seized from Barkat’s rest house, while 65 Yaba pills were seized from Rubel’s drawer.
Later, others were arrested according to their confessions.
The police super said regular cases would be filed against the arrested persons for their crimes of carrying illegal firearms, possessing liquor, and blackmarketing the government rice in their rest house.
Besides, there are allegations of grabbing lands, extortion and snatching of tenders against the arrested persons.
SP Alimuzzaman said police would plead to the court to place the accused on remand for deeper investigation.
Replying to a question, he said police would plead to the court to place each of the arrested Barkat, Rubel and Bipul on a ten-day remand, while to place the rest nine persons on a six-day remand.
Meanwhile, a section of Faridpur Awami League held rally and brought out procession in Faridpur town on Monday demanding trial and punishment of arrested Sajjad Hossain Barkat and Imtiaz Hasan Rubel.
The rally was held at Faridpur Press Club premises at about 11:00am which was addressed by Faridpur Kotwali Thana Awami League’s former general secretary Amitav Bose.
Faridpur district Awami League’s former leader Monirul Hasan Mithu, former president of Kotwali Thana Awami League Khalifa Kamal, former general secretary Shamsul Alam Chowdhury and others were present.
