House of BCL city secy attacked
Staff Reporter, Barisal
The residence of Ashim Dewan, secretary of the Bangladesh Chhatra Leagues (BCLs) Barisal city unit, came under attack around 11:30pm on Sunday. An armed gang hurled bombs at the house and opened fire during the attack in the Kaunia area of the city. The city unit blamed persons belonging to the BCL faction led by Jubo league leader, Sadek Abdullah, for the attack.
Ashim claimed that he had been getting threats from the group for the last few months, as he had refused to join their faction. He said that he had been living outside Barisal to avoid any kind of altercation with the group. Sadek is the son of former chief whip Abul Hasanat Abdullah. It is learnt that Ashim is a supporter of local MP Jebunnesa Afroz. He returned to Barisal city on Saturday on hearing that his father had taken ill.
Ashim said he sought protection from the local police after arriving in the city and was assured security. However, about 20-25 persons, armed with lethal weapons and firearms, attacked his house on Sunday night. They started to throw brickbats at windows and doors, exploded bombs and fired shots. It went on for about half-an-hour. They were shouting and threatening to kill the BCL secretary. Hearing the news, police and RAB personnel rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control. Selim Reza, OC of Kawnia police station, said they were trying to arrest the culprits. Senior police officers visited the spot. After the incident. Jashim Uddin, president of the BCLs Barisal city unit, said, Were fighting to eliminate hooliganism from the city unit of our organisation. We recently suppressed such activities of the BCL at the BM Government College and Barisal Government College. A section of the hooligans are now under the shelter of Sadek. They are trying to finish us off to make the city a safe haven for criminals.
