As a consequence of muscle flexing between father-in-law and son-in-law, the police on Friday arrested 11 people, including a son of Land Minister Shamsur Rahman Sharif, in connection with a case for vandalism in Ishwardi upazila of Pabna.
Police said Sirhan Sharif Tomal, the Minister’s son and also president of Ishwardi upazila unit of Jubo League, the youth wing of Awami League, is the main accused in vandalisng residence of a freedom fighter and some adjacent shops in the area owned by the local Mayor Abul Kalam Azad.
According to information received in Dhaka yesterday, Land Minister, also an MP from Pabna-4 Constituency, and his son-in-law Ishwardi Municipality Mayor Abul Kalam Azad had long been at loggerheads over maintaining supremacy in the area.
“A joint team of Pabna and Ishwardi police conducted separate overnight drives and arrested them from different parts of the district. Police conducted the drive after a case was filed with local police station accusing 32 ruling AL men in the wee hours of Friday,” said, Zihadul Kabir, Superintendent of Police, Pabna. The SP said the arrestees were produced before the court. Apart from Minister’s son, Rupak, Zahangir, Zafar Iqbal, Rony, Prince Islam, Mahbub Islam, Sabirul, Mehedi Hasan, Shamsul and Masum were among the arrestees.
Freedom fighter Atiar Rahman, father of Bangladesh Chhatra League’s Ishwardi unit President Zubayer Biswas, filed the case with the police on Thursday against Tomal and others.
The case statement said Tomal along with another Jubo League leader Rajib Sarkar swooped on the house of Jubayer at Aminpara in the upazila yesterday over political rivalry.
“They also vandalised a number of business establishments at Ishwardi upazila headquarters,” Abdul Hye, Officer-in-Charge of Ishwardi Police Station, said.
The clash erupted when Arif, a follower of Upazila Jubo League general secretary Rajib Sarker was beaten by the supporters of Zubayer Biswas. To take revenge of this, the supporters of opponent group launched attacked Zubayer’s residence.
The clashes left Ariful Islam injured. Following the incident, a group of Jubo League activists swooped on Zubayer’s house and vandalised business establishments later.
Besides, Zubayer’s mother Hazera Begum was also assaulted when she tried to intervene. She was taken to the Pabna Government Hospital.
Local people said 10-15 supporters of the Minister, led by local Juba League leader Rajib Sarkar, vandalised a number of business establishments at Ishwardi upazila headquarters on Thursday late night, including a restaurant owned by Azad.
Not only that, there is also long-standing conflict between local Chhatra League and Jubo League units, turning the area tensed.
Refuting the allegation of attack, Rajib said, “They are trying to tarnish my image as I have an enmity with Zubayer.”
On the other hand, Mayor Azad said his opponents vandalised his personal office and other establishments.
