BCL men 'grab' shop, put up party signboard

A group of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) men allegedly grabbed a bicycle mechanic's shop by putting up the party's signboard at Nilarmela Bazar in Atwary upazila of Panchagarh district recently.

When mechanic Hakikul Islam, 48, entered his shop by breaking its lock with the help of local people on Tuesday, the BCL men filed a case with Atwary Police Station against seven people, including Hakikul, accusing them of damaging the portrait of Bangabandhu.

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The law enforcers later arrested Hakikul, his wife Sultana Begum, 45, brother Abdul Mottaleb, 35, his wife Razia Begum, 25, and their three-year-old son Rahat in connection with the case.

Locals said Hakikul has been running the shop beside Boda-Atwary road at the bazar for about 27 years.

In 1988, he set up the shop on the land of local union parishad. Due to his illness, Hakikul kept the shop closed for the last few months.

He reconstructed the structure of the shop last month. Afterwards, the union BCL men put up a signboard and locked the shop. They also placed Bangabandhu's portrait in the room.

On Tuesday morning, Hakikul broke the lock of the shop with the help of local people.

Later the BCL men entered the room, damaged the portrait and filed a case against the shop owner and his family, alleged local people.

Contacted, Abdullah Al Mamun, president of Balarampur union unit of BCL, said as the room remained in an abandoned state, they put up signboard and locked it. Apart from this, the shop was built on the land of union parishad.

Replying to a query, the BCL leader said he was not present during the incident but he heard Hakikul and his family damaged Banglabandhu's portrait.

Three people were arrested in the case, said Mohammad Shah Alam, officer-in-charge of the police station, adding that the family members brought the minor boy willingly.

Of the arrestees, Abdul Mottaleb was sent to jail while others got bail when they were produced before a court yesterday.