Harassment of UNO Tarique Salman

Barisal miffed Murad Ahmed

The filing of a defamation suit against the Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) of Barguna Sadar, Gazi Tariq Salman, has drawn sharp reactions from all quarters in Barisal. Salman was sent to court custody and subsequently granted bail.

Salman was sued for allegedly ‘defaming’ Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. He used a picture of Bangabandhu painted by a child on the invitation card of the Independence and National Day on March 26 when he was the UNO of Agailjhara upazila in Barisal.

The defamation suit was filed by Obaydullah Saju, president of the Barisal Bar, in the chief metropolitan magistrate (CMM) court on June 7. The court issued summons against Salman and directed him to appear in court within July 27.

The UNO told this reporter on Friday that he would appear in the CMM court on Saturday. He had earlier said that the applicant had filed the case to harass him. Salman attended a monthly divisional meeting of the UNOs of the Barisal division yesterday morning. He insisted, however, that he would not talk about the issue at the meeting.

On the other hand, Saju, who was also the district religious affairs secretary of the Awami League (AL) and has since been suspended, said he had accepted the order of the central AL over his suspension. He added that if any steps towards a negotiation are taken in this regard, he would attend such a meeting.

Enayet Hosen Chowdury, the organizing commander of the Mukti Joddha Sangsad (Barisal command), said Saju had been “overenthusiastic” about preserving the honour of the party (AL).

The president of Khelaghar district unit, Jibon Krisna Dey, said only an “anti-liberation activist” could do the kind of thing Saju had done. “This will have a serious impact on the minds of children about printing the photo of Bangabandhu,” he pointed out.

Dey demanded an inquiry into the issue and punishment for the people behind the officer’s harassment..

This reporter visited Agailjhara upazila on Friday to talk to the family of the child who had drawn the photo of the Father of the Nation. Padmaboti Haldar, mother of the child Adrija Kar, said, “We are very worried because we don’t know what kind of reaction my daughter’s drawing will invite.”

The local people in Agailjhara said Salman had done a great job during his tenure in the upazila. He had tried to control irregularities in different sectors, including copying in examination halls.

This might have earned him enemies among a section of the local influential people. Kamala Rani Mondol, acting principal of the Agailjhara Shaheed Abdur Rub Serniabat Degree College, said that Salman had caught a student named Payel Serniabat copying in the exam hall and suspended him.

Local sources said that Payel had misbehaved with the UNO and was jailed for six months by a mobile court on May 9. Payel is the son of an influential local resident, Rais Serniabat, who is a cousin of former chief whip and MP Abul Hasnat Abdullah. He is also a former secretary of Agailjhara upazila unit of the AL and now a member of Shaheed Abdur Rab Serniabat Degree College governing body. Shamimul Islam, secretary of the Agailjhara Press Club, said that no contractor could draw their bills from UNO Salman without completing 100 per cent of their work.

Salman returned Tk. 79 lakh of the Kabikha project unused, causing further anger among a section. These may have been the reason behind the case filed against the UNO, he added.

Then divisional commissioner (DC) of Barisal, Gazi Md Saifuzaman, also issued a show-cause notice against Salman on April 13.

After getting Salman’s reply, DC Md Gaus issued a further letter to him on April 18 and transferred him to Barguna Sadar. Barisal CMM Mohammad Ali Hosen granted Salman bail on July 19 afternoon, hours after he ordered that the UNO was to be sent to jail for not submitting proper documents.

Bench assistant of the court Md Shakhawat Hosen said Salman’s lawyer Mokhlesur Rahman Khan submitted the copies of the main documents in court and prayed for a reconsideration of the order. After seeing the documents, the court granted the UNO bail. He was released from court custody around 2.30 pm.

Harassment of UNO Tarique Salman

Barisal miffed Murad Ahmed

The filing of a defamation suit against the Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) of Barguna Sadar, Gazi Tariq Salman, has drawn sharp reactions from all quarters in Barisal. Salman was sent to court custody and subsequently granted bail. Salman was sued for allegedly defaming Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. He used a picture of Bangabandhu painted by a child on the invitation card of the Independence and National Day on March 26 when he was the UNO of Agailjhara upazila in Barisal. The defamation suit was filed by Obaydullah Saju, president of the Barisal Bar, in the chief metropolitan magistrate (CMM) court on June 7. The court issued summons against Salman and directed him to appear in court within July 27. The UNO told this reporter on Friday that he would appear in the CMM court on Saturday. He had earlier said that the applicant had filed the case to harass him. Salman attended a monthly divisional meeting of the UNOs of the Barisal division yesterday morning. He insisted, however, that he would not talk about the issue at the meeting. On the other hand, Saju, who was also the district religious affairs secretary of the Awami League (AL) and has since been suspended, said he had accepted the order of the central AL over his suspension. He added that if any steps towards a negotiation are taken in this regard, he would attend such a meeting. Enayet Hosen Chowdury, the organizing commander of the Mukti Joddha Sangsad (Barisal command), said Saju had been overenthusiastic about preserving the honour of the party (AL). The president of Khelaghar district unit, Jibon Krisna Dey, said only an anti-liberation activist could do the kind of thing Saju had done. This will have a serious impact on the minds of children about printing the photo of Bangabandhu, he pointed out. Dey demanded an inquiry into the issue and punishment for the people behind the officers harassment.. This reporter visited Agailjhara upazila on Friday to talk to the family of the child who had drawn the photo of the Father of the Nation. Padmaboti Haldar, mother of the child Adrija Kar, said, We are very worried because we dont know what kind of reaction my daughters drawing will invite. The local people in Agailjhara said Salman had done a great job during his tenure in the upazila. He had tried to control irregularities in different sectors, including copying in examination halls. This might have earned him enemies among a section of the local influential people. Kamala Rani Mondol, acting principal of the Agailjhara Shaheed Abdur Rub Serniabat Degree College, said that Salman had caught a student named Payel Serniabat copying in the exam hall and suspended him. Local sources said that Payel had misbehaved with the UNO and was jailed for six months by a mobile court on May 9. Payel is the son of an influential local resident, Rais Serniabat, who is a cousin of former chief whip and MP Abul Hasnat Abdullah. He is also a former secretary of Agailjhara upazila unit of the AL and now a member of Shaheed Abdur Rab Serniabat Degree College governing body. Shamimul Islam, secretary of the Agailjhara Press Club, said that no contractor could draw their bills from UNO Salman without completing 100 per cent of their work. Salman returned Tk. 79 lakh of the Kabikha project unused, causing further anger among a section. These may have been the reason behind the case filed against the UNO, he added. Then divisional commissioner (DC) of Barisal, Gazi Md Saifuzaman, also issued a show-cause notice against Salman on April 13. After getting Salmans reply, DC Md Gaus issued a further letter to him on April 18 and transferred him to Barguna Sadar. Barisal CMM Mohammad Ali Hosen granted Salman bail on July 19 afternoon, hours after he ordered that the UNO was to be sent to jail for not submitting proper documents. Bench assistant of the court Md Shakhawat Hosen said Salmans lawyer Mokhlesur Rahman Khan submitted the copies of the main documents in court and prayed for a reconsideration of the order. After seeing the documents, the court granted the UNO bail. He was released from court custody around 2.30 pm.