Harassment of UNO Tarique Salman

Barguna DC, Barisal CMM, cop may be withdrawn

The authorities are likely to withdraw the deputy commissioner of Barguna, Dr Mohammad Bashirul Alam, Barisal Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM), M Ali Hossain, and the officer concerned of Barisal Metropolitan Police for their alleged "improper behaviour"  towards the Barguna Sadar UNO, Gazi Tarique Salman.

The Awami League yesterday (Saturday) suspended Obaidullah Saju, religious affairs secretary of the Barisal District Awami League and president of the Barisal Lawyers' Association, from the party for filing a case against the UNO.

Senior secretary of public administration ministry, Dr Muzammael Haque Khan, told The Independent that the officials had an "evil motive" to punish an innocent officer and showed "improper behaviour" to Salman. They should be punished.

”We should appreciate a person who does a good job sincerely. But it is unfortunate that some government officials played ‘negative’ roles over the issue,” he said.

Talking to this correspondent, a senior official of the law ministry, on condition of anonymity, said they will request the Supreme Court to take action against the Barisal CMM after his guilt is proven.

“I personally think that the CMM did not play a proper role over the UNO Salman issue. The case filed against the UNO was bailable, but the CMM did not grant him bail immediately,” he said. He said the police cannot take him into custody as an accused before issuing a custodial warrant.

 General secretary of Bangladesh Administration Service Association (BASA), Kabir Bin Anwar, also Director General (DG) of the Prime Minister’s Office and Project Director of Access to information (a2i) Programme, has urged the authorities concerned to take action against the government officials who tried to punish an innocent official in the name of “distorting the photo” of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

“We are urging all the officials of the government to behave responsibly,” he said. HT Imam, political adviser to the Prime Minister, said that being the highest level government official at the upazila level, a UNO cannot be punished or sued or slapped with any other action without the government’s approval.

“I would hold both the DC and SP of Barisal responsible for the misbehaviour the UNO had to face and the way he was arrested,” he said, and added: “We may have to take action against the duo.”

He was astonished as to how the police recorded the case against UNO Salman and the district judge of Barisal accepted it. When contacted over telephone, Barisal Metropolitan Police Commissioner SM Ruhul Amin said: “We have respected his position as UNO. Our policemen did not handcuff him while taking him to court. When the court ordered that he be sent to custody, only then was he treated as an accused, and the policemen would have to take him into custody like that,” he added.

Asked why did they take him into custody without custodial warrant (CW), he said: “Normally, the CW is issued later, but we take the accused before issuing the CW,” he opined.

Additional Secretary (field administration), Maksudur Rahman Patwary, told this correspondent that the picture of Bangabandhu, used on the invitation card of Independence Day, was not distorted, although some claimed that it was.

“We think he did not commit any crime by using the picture on the card. The person, who filed the case against the UNO, should have complained to us instead. We think that everybody should behave responsibly. Before lodging a complaint against any government official, everything should be taken into account. There is no question of withdrawing him from his station of duty now since the case has been filed and it is under trial. After completion of the trial, it will be seen what really took place,” he added.

When contacted, Barguna Sadar UNO Gazi Tareq Salman said he will appear before the court today (Sunday) in connection with the case.

The suspended local Awami League leader, Advocate Obaidullah Saju, told The Independent that he may withdraw the case filed gainst the UNO if he gets the party’s instruction on the matter.

A Barisal court, on July 19, granted bail to Barguna Sadar UNO in a case filed on June 7 last for “distorting the photo” of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

According to the case statement, the UNO distributed an invitation card printing a “distorted” photo of Bangabandhu while he was posted at Agoiljhara upazila last year.

The invitation card was printed on the occasion of Independence Day.

 

Harassment of UNO Tarique Salman

Barguna DC, Barisal CMM, cop may be withdrawn

The authorities are likely to withdraw the deputy commissioner of Barguna, Dr Mohammad Bashirul Alam, Barisal Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM), M Ali Hossain, and the officer concerned of Barisal Metropolitan Police for their alleged improper behaviour towards the Barguna Sadar UNO, Gazi Tarique Salman. The Awami League yesterday (Saturday) suspended Obaidullah Saju, religious affairs secretary of the Barisal District Awami League and president of the Barisal Lawyers Association, from the party for filing a case against the UNO. Senior secretary of public administration ministry, Dr Muzammael Haque Khan, told The Independent that the officials had an evil motive to punish an innocent officer and showed improper behaviour to Salman. They should be punished. We should appreciate a person who does a good job sincerely. But it is unfortunate that some government officials played negative roles over the issue, he said. Talking to this correspondent, a senior official of the law ministry, on condition of anonymity, said they will request the Supreme Court to take action against the Barisal CMM after his guilt is proven. I personally think that the CMM did not play a proper role over the UNO Salman issue. The case filed against the UNO was bailable, but the CMM did not grant him bail immediately, he said. He said the police cannot take him into custody as an accused before issuing a custodial warrant. General secretary of Bangladesh Administration Service Association (BASA), Kabir Bin Anwar, also Director General (DG) of the Prime Ministers Office and Project Director of Access to information (a2i) Programme, has urged the authorities concerned to take action against the government officials who tried to punish an innocent official in the name of distorting the photo of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. We are urging all the officials of the government to behave responsibly, he said. HT Imam, political adviser to the Prime Minister, said that being the highest level government official at the upazila level, a UNO cannot be punished or sued or slapped with any other action without the governments approval. I would hold both the DC and SP of Barisal responsible for the misbehaviour the UNO had to face and the way he was arrested, he said, and added: We may have to take action against the duo. He was astonished as to how the police recorded the case against UNO Salman and the district judge of Barisal accepted it. When contacted over telephone, Barisal Metropolitan Police Commissioner SM Ruhul Amin said: We have respected his position as UNO. Our policemen did not handcuff him while taking him to court. When the court ordered that he be sent to custody, only then was he treated as an accused, and the policemen would have to take him into custody like that, he added. Asked why did they take him into custody without custodial warrant (CW), he said: Normally, the CW is issued later, but we take the accused before issuing the CW, he opined. Additional Secretary (field administration), Maksudur Rahman Patwary, told this correspondent that the picture of Bangabandhu, used on the invitation card of Independence Day, was not distorted, although some claimed that it was. We think he did not commit any crime by using the picture on the card. The person, who filed the case against the UNO, should have complained to us instead. We think that everybody should behave responsibly. Before lodging a complaint against any government official, everything should be taken into account. There is no question of withdrawing him from his station of duty now since the case has been filed and it is under trial. After completion of the trial, it will be seen what really took place, he added. When contacted, Barguna Sadar UNO Gazi Tareq Salman said he will appear before the court today (Sunday) in connection with the case. The suspended local Awami League leader, Advocate Obaidullah Saju, told The Independent that he may withdraw the case filed gainst the UNO if he gets the partys instruction on the matter. A Barisal court, on July 19, granted bail to Barguna Sadar UNO in a case filed on June 7 last for distorting the photo of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. According to the case statement, the UNO distributed an invitation card printing a distorted photo of Bangabandhu while he was posted at Agoiljhara upazila last year. The invitation card was printed on the occasion of Independence Day.