In Manda upazila of Naogaon, a young man was fined two hundred thousand taka in an arbitration meeting over allegations of harassing a woman. Failing to pay the fine, local Union Parishad (UP) chairman, members, and matbars (local leaders) allegedly forced him to sign blank stamps and a two-thousand-taka [two hundred thousand taka] cheque.
In connection with this incident, the victimized youth, Shish Mohammad (34), has filed two separate lawsuits in the Naogaon court. He is the son of Shafi Uddin Pramanik from Boilshing village under Bhalain union of Manda upazila. Conversely, the woman has also filed a case against Shish Mohammad at the Manda police station for alleged harassment. Following his arrest in that case, the police sent him to jail.
According to local residents, on October 23, Shish Mohammad was irrigating his own paddy field with Aman rice. Around evening, under the pretext of discussing irrigation for another land, he was called to the house of Abdus Salam Shah in the same village.
There, local people tied him with rope and beat him up, raising allegations that he had harassed the granddaughter of Abdus Salam.
Later that night, an arbitration meeting was convened in the presence of Bhalain Union Parishad Chairman Golam Mostafa, UP Member Harun Or Rashid, prospective chairman candidate Abdul Matin Mal, and other local leaders. In the meeting, Shish Mohammad was fined two hundred thousand taka.
His wife, Shakila Bibi, alleged that because he could not pay the fine, he was forced to sign a blank stamp and a two hundred thousand taka cheque from the Sotihata branch of Janata Bank.
Read nextMixed Reactions in Parbatipur Over Absence of Local MP's Name on LAMB Hospital’s Invitation CardShakila Bibi stated that her husband was trapped and beaten under a false allegation due to a previous enmity. Afterwards, an arbitration imposed a two hundred thousand taka fine and extracted signatures on blank stamps and cheques. Seeking remedy for these events, her husband filed two separate lawsuits in the Naogaon court.
Shakila Bibi further alleged that, to escape those lawsuits, the woman filed a case against her husband at the Manda police station on Friday (October 30) at the instigation of the leaders. Subsequently, the police arrested him and sent him to jail.
BNP leader Abdul Matin Mal admitted his presence at the arbitration. He said that upon arriving at the scene, he saw UP Chairman Golam Mostafa, Member Harun Or Rashid, and local people already present. He then joined them. Chairman Golam Mostafa imposed the two hundred thousand taka fine on the youth during the arbitration.
UP Chairman Golam Mostafa stated that the arbitration meeting took place in the presence of Abdul Matin Mal. He himself was also there. The arbitration leaders, including Abdul Matin, took signatures on blank stamps and cheques and deposited them with him.
Manda Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Afzal Hossain said that Shish Mohammad has been arrested and sent to jail in the case filed over the woman's harassment. In the same incident, Shish Mohammad has also filed two separate cases in court. Necessary measures will be taken after investigating these matters.
— Daily Best News Desk • Fearless in the search for truth
Reported by Ujjal Kumar, Naogaon District Representative, Naogaon • Edited by the Daily Best News desk. Send corrections to [email protected].
