Blame game between BNP-AL over 2 BNP men’s death

Arif Molla, Kaliganj (Jhenaidah)

Two brothers were killed in a clash between two factions of BNP over local dominance. Now, BNP and Jamaat are arguing over whether the deceased were BNP or Jamaat activists. BNP says the deceased were Jamaat activists, while Jamaat says they were never their activists. The incident happened in Jamala Union of Kaliganj Upazila of the district.

It is known that there had been a long-standing dispute between BNP leader Nazrul Islam of Jamal Union and supporters of Arif, Liton, Bulu and Ashraf of the other faction of BNP over local dominance. As a result, people from both sides clashed with each other with indigenous weapons in Nakobaria Village of the union on the morning of June 1, leaving at least 5 people injured. The injured were admitted to Kaliganj Upazila Health Complex. Among them, one named Mohabbat Ali died on the way to Faridpur for better treatment when his physical condition deteriorated. Four others, including his brother Yunus Ali, were injured. Three days after the incident, Mohabbat Ali’s elder brother Yunus Ali died while undergoing treatment at a hospital in the capital.

Since this incident, BNP and Jamaat have been avoiding responsibility for the two deceased brothers. Although BNP claimed that the deceased were Jamaat activists, the Upazila Jamaat refuted that claim in a counter-press conference on Saturday morning.

On June 11, the Upazila BNP held a press conference and claimed that the deceased were Jamaat activists. They have been involved in Jamaat politics for a long time. As evidence, a picture of the deceased Yunus Ali’s presence at a Jamaat event was presented.

Upazila BNP Joint Convener Ilias Rahman Mithu read out a written statement at the press conference held at the party office of Saiful Islam Firoz, senior joint general secretary of the Central Swechchhasebak Dal on Naldanga Road in the town.

Meanwhile, the Upazila Jamaat refuted that claim in a counter-press conference on Saturday morning held at its office in Bakulia of Kaliganj Upazila town where Upazila Jamaat Ameer Abdul Haque Molla said, “The slain Mohabbat Ali and Yunus Ali were never associated with Jamaat. I strongly demand that the murderers be brought to justice and punished. Jamaat never practices the politics of killing. But at a press conference organized by Upazila BNP on June 11, Joint Convener Ilias Rahman Mithu claimed that the slain Yunus Ali was a Jamaat activist and a terrorist. However, after the murder of the BNP activist, several top leaders of the District and Upazila BNP termed the slain Yunus Ali as a BNP activist. It is mentioned that we have that video.”

In a written statement, the Upazila Jamaat Ameer said, “A person cannot become a Jamaat activist if he wants to. To become a Jamaat activist, one has to pass through a specific syllabus and work process. A person who has contact with a terrorist and extortionist or any such person has no minimum chance of becoming a Jamaat activist. However, in the press conference, Ilias Rahman Mithu repeatedly tried to promote their party activists as Jamaat activists. In the meantime, he tried to present Jamaat as a terrorist organization. Upazila Jamaat strongly condemns and protests this statement of BNP from the press conference.”