Dhaka: Jitendra Kanti Guha, Vice-President of Chittagong South of Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Oikya Parishad, was tied to a tree and beaten by supporters of a local UP chairman over an invitation to an Iftar party at Haidgaon Union in Patia Upazila of Chattogram.
The former president of local Awami League was rushed to Patia Health Complex and later shifted to Chittagong Medical College Hospital. The incident took place in front of the Gauchia Community Centre at Brahmanghata in Haidgaon this afternoon.
The Iftar mahfil and discussion meeting was organised by Haidgaon Union Awami League at Gauchia Community Centre, but union parishad (UP) chairman BM Jasim was not invited to the same. This was reportedly the cause of the incident.
Shahidul Islam Zulu, joint convener of Haidgaon Union Awami League, said the union Awami League did not invite him to the Iftar party as the current chairman was elected as the rebel candidate of ruling Awami League.
He got angry and came to the venue with 30-40 people and started abusing different people, including Mahmudul Haque Hafez, convener of Union Awami League. At one point, Inderjit Leo, a former member, punched Jiten Guha.
The rest of the people who were with him at that time dragged Jiten Guha out, tied him to a tree and beat him mercilessly. When asked to comment on the issue, Haidergaon UP chairman BM Jasim said Guha had embezzled money from various people by promising to give government houses, tubewells and jobs during his tenure as president.
The men beat him and demanded that he return the money. “I was able to save Jiten by being present at the scene. The situation would have been worse, had it not been for me,” he said.
Patia Police Station officer-in-charge (OC) Investigation Md Rashedul Islam told UNI a short while ago that the incident was completely true. He said a case has not been filed yet, but the plaintiff is likely to file a case in this regard.
Meanwhile, Rana Das Gupta, president of the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Oikya Parishad, and Nimchandra Bhowmik, general secretary, in a joint statement demanded immediate arrest of the culprits and severe punishment under the law.
In another incident, this (Friday) afternoon a group of 30/40 people attacked the house of a minority family Omesh Sharma in Barbakundu village of Sitakundu in Chattogram. Equipped with different types of indigenous weapons, they carried out extensive vandalism and violence. The attackers also molested Hindu women.
Sumon Chandra Banik, OC of the concerned police station, told UNI, “We have received the complaint. The fact is true”. The OC said an investigation was still going on.
