Walking on Students: Chandpur AL leader suspended

The Chandpur Awami League leader, who drew widespread criticism for walking on a “human bridge” made by schoolchildren, has been suspended from the party.

The AL has also issued a show-cause notice to Nur Hossain Patwary asking why he would not be expelled from the party permanently.

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AL General Secretary Obaidul Quader said this while talking to reporters after inaugurating a bridge in Munshiganj yesterday.

He said administrative actions would be taken against those involved in the incident, no matter how influential they are. Besides, the party would also take action.

“It was an immediate directive and action from Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina,” said Obaidul, the road transport and bridges minister.

A picture of the Haimchar upazila chairman walking over a “human bridge” formed by students of Nilkomal Osmania High School during the annual sports event on January 30 went viral on social media, triggering outrage and criticism.

TENSE SITUATION IN HAIMCHAR

A tense situation was prevailing in Haimchar upazila following a clash on Thursday between the supporters of Nur Hossain and upazila AL President Abdul Motaleb.

Yesterday, police foiled two separate rallies organised by the supporters of Nur and Motaleb at two parts in the upazila headquarters. Motaleb's supporters organised a rally in protest at Nur's walking on the “human bridge”, while Nur's men held a rally protesting the vandalism of a local AL office during Thursday's clash.

On Thursday, a clash broke out when supporters of Nur prevented Motaleb and his men from forming a human chain in the upazila headquarters. A group of criminals vandalised the upazila AL office during the clash.

Additional police were deployed in the area to avert any untoward incident, said Syed Mahbubur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Haimchar Police Station.

Police said Mizanur Rahman Patwary, a local AL leader, yesterday filed a case over the vandalism of the AL office.