OC withdrawn, 3 arrested over health secy’s house attack

Bangladesh Desk:  Officer-in-charge of Katiadi police station was withdrawn after the attack on Health secretary Abdul Mannan’s village house and the assault on an assistant commissioner (land) allegedly by a group of ruling Awami League activists in Kishorganj on Saturday.

Two cases were filed in connection with the attack and the assault and the police arrested three accused on Saturday night.

Bangladesh Administrative Service Association condemned the attack and the assault in a statement on the night.

MA Jalil, OC of the police station, was withdrawn and attached to Dhaka range office, said Kishorganj additional police superintendent Mizanur Rahman.

The move was taken as the secretary alleged that the police were complicit in the incidents.

Health secretary Mannan’s house came under attack and Katadi AC (land) Ashraful Alam was thrown into a pond during the incident allegedly by people close to the member of parliament of the Awami League Nur Mohammad at Katiadi in Kishoreganj on Saturday.

The incidents are linked to the establishment of a community clinic by Abdul Mannan and his family in the area.

The secretary was at his village home during the incident and he alleged that Nur Mohammad had instructed his associates to attack the house.

The lawmaker, however, had denied the allegation.

The AC (land) Ashraful and an executive engineer of Kishorganj Atikur Rahman filed two separate cases and later the police arrested the three accused in raids on Saturday night, the police officer Mizanur said.

The OC was withdrawn on the following morning.

The arrested were Mehedi, Kamal and Ataur Rahman, said Katiadi police station assistant sub-inspector Shariful Islam.

Four named and 40 to 45 identified people were prosecuted in the cases.

Mizanur, however, could not confirm whether the arrested were ruling party activists and associates of Nur Mohammad, also former inspector general of police.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh Administrative Service Association held an emergency meeting on Saturday night after the attack and the assault.

The meeting was presided over by the association’s president and water resources ministry secretary Kabir Bin Anwar.

The meeting condemned the incidents and demanded the arrest of the accused as well as quick justice.