Gun-toting Youths in Ctg Polls: Police yet to identify them

AL wins in 23 UPs, BNP in 12; Quader sees internal feud where AL loses to BNP

Star Report

Police have yet to identify any of the alleged Bangladesh Chhatra League activists who brandished firearms during by-polls in a ward in Chittagong City Corporation on Thursday.

Looking at their photographs published in newspapers, many city residents said two of the gun-toting BCL men were Mahmudur Rashid Babu and Rakib Haidar.

"We have seen the photographs in newspapers but are yet to identify anyone. We are trying to gather information about them,” Moinul Islam, officer-in-charge of Bandar Police Station, told The Daily Star.

Locals and police said a clash on Becha Shah Road near Paschim Gosaildanga Girls School, a polling centre, between the supporters of Professor Bibi Mariam and Jahangir Alam Chowdhury on Thursday left at least four persons injured.

During the clash, four BCL men, who were allegedly supporting Bibi Mariam, were brandishing firearms. Locals said one of the gun-wielding men, who was wearing a black shirt and jeans, was Mahmudur Rashid Babu.

Mahmudur's Facebook profile, according to locals, shows that he is a member of BCL and he campaigned for Bibi Mariam.

Another gun-toting young man, wearing a white and blue T-shirt and jeans, according to locals, is BCL activist Rakib Haidar.

Locals said his Facebook page showed that he supported Bibi Mariam.

Neither Mahmudur nor Rakib could be reached for comments.

Nurul Azim Rony, general secretary of Chittagong unit of BCL, said, “We learned the names of those, who brandished firearms during the election. Organisational actions will be taken in this regard after holding a meeting with top BCL leaders.”

Kamrul Hasan, assistant commissioner of Chittagong Metropolitan Police, told The Daily Star that police would arrest them and recover any illegal firearms found in their possession.

RESULTS: AL 29, BNP 12 

AL-backed candidates won in most of the 133 union parishad polls held on Thursday.

Announcing results of 53 union parishads, AL General Secretary Obaidul Quader at a press briefing at Sheikh Hasina's Dhanmondi office yesterday said AL candidates won in 29 unions and BNP candidates in 12.

Seven party dissidents and five independent candidates won in the rest of unions, he said.

In the elections to four municipalities, AL won in three and BNP in one, he added.

Quader blamed AL's internal feud for defeat in some union parishads.

"We had discussed the issue of internal feud in the party's secretary level meeting," he said.