AL leader's house torched in Patuakhali

A local Awami League leader's house in Mirzaganj upazila of Patuakhali was reported attacked, looted and torched by miscreants. 

The incident occurred on Friday (July 17) night in Kathaltali Bazar area of the upazila.

Victim, Kazi Mizanur Rahman Lablu, is the former chairman of Madhabkhali Union Parishad. He is also the president of the union unit Awami League.

Lablu and his family were in Dhaka during the attack.

Wife of Mizanur Rahman, Meherunnesa Shilpi claimed they went to Dhaka to visit her mother-in-law who is ill. The miscreant group took this advantage and around 200-250 people demolished their residence using an excavator. 

Allegations were made against Shahin Chowdhury Pasha, the younger brother of Patuakhali-1 MP Altaf Hossain Chowdhury and president of Madhabkhali union BNP. Also union BNP general secretary Mehedi Hasan Palash Howlader and former union BNP president Monir Khondaker were accused by the victim’s wife. 

The attackers looted four refrigerators, a washing machine, and other household goods. They then set fire to six rooms of the house, Mehrunnesa added.

She further said they have verbally informed the Upazila Nirbahi Officer and the Kathaltali police outpost in-charge.

However, Shahin Chowdhury Pasha denied the allegations and said Lablu built that house on public library land during the Awami League regime. He heard a dispute between lablu and the library authorities after the government change. Pasha claimed he had no clear details about the land issue.

Moreover, Pasha said he returned from Dhaka on Friday and knew nothing about the incident. Other two accused, Mehedi Hasan Palash Howlader and Monir Khondaker remained unresponsive. 

Md. Ibrahim, acting station officer of Mirzaganj Fire Service, said they received a call at 6:08AM on Saturday. A team reached the north bus stand of Kathaltali Bazar and found the house on fire. The front section of the house was broken. They later controlled the fire in four rooms.

Mirzaganj Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Md. Towhiduzzaman said unidentified people used an excavator to break the house and set it on fire early Saturday.

Firefighters later controlled the flames. No one was injured as the house was empty. No formal complaint has been filed yet, but police are looking into the matter, the OC added.

-SA