Graphics Designer Shamim Ashraf victim of AL’s internal conflict!

Poet and graphic designer Shamim Ashraf has been a victim of the internal conflict of the ruling Awami League (AL) in Mymensingh. He is being harassed due to the conflict between the two AL factions in the city, alleged cultural activists in the district.

They said the dispute between two factions of the ruling party in Mymensingh city has also come to the fore centring the issue which has divided the city’s cultural activists into two groups.

One group says that the issue may affect the election of mayoral candidate Ikramul Haque Titu while the other group terms it as an isolated event which will not have any impact on the election, adding that Shamim Ashraf should be tried for the “crimes he committed”.

Shamim Ashraf was detained by the police from his office on February 18 around 9:30pm. Later, he was shown arrested under Section 54 and sent to jail on February 19. He was released on bail on February 20. But just after his release from jail, Mymensingh City Corporation (MCC) filed a case with the Cyber Crimes Tribunal on the same day. The court ordered the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) to investigate the case and submit a report.

In this regard, MCC Chief Executive Officer Md Yusuf Ali said, "Mymensingh City Corporation is an organisation. It has filed a case against Shamim for maligning the corporation’s image. Investigating agency will see if he is really guilty or not. Former mayor Ikramul Haque Titu is not involved in filing the case.”

Poet Farid Ahmad Dulal, president of the Mymensingh District unit of Sammilito Sangskritik Jote, said, "The matter is very sad. What Shamim Ashraf said is also on our minds. If you ask anyone, he will say that we want a traffic-free city, we want a clean city, and the footpaths should be opened for people's movement. We cannot see the sky due to the unplanned construction of buildings in the city. So, he demanded to see the sky. I think he is talking about everything in our mind.”
“But why should he be subjected to harassment for speaking on behalf of the people? Those who are associated with it and are contesting elections, so this is not going to be good for them. It will affect the election,” he observed.

General Secretary of the Mymensingh district unit of Sammilita Sanskritik Jote Mostafizur Rahman Bhasani said, "A case has been filed against Shamim Ashraf for the crime he has committed. He should be punished for his crime. There is no chance that the issue would have a negative impact on the city corporation election.”

Shamim Ashraf owns a graphic design shop and printing house called Graffiti at Ampatti intersection on Madan Babu Road in the city. He is the chief designer of the organization. Shamim, a well-known face in the cultural arena of the city, hails from Dapunia Harguzirpar village of Sadar Upazila in the district.

On February 18, around 9:30pm, President of the district unit of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) Al Amin and some BCL leaders went to Shamim’s shop and requested him not to print propaganda posters against former mayor Ikramul Haque Titu. At that time, Shamim went live on social media about the matter. After some time, Aminul Haque Shamim, the vice-president of the district Awami League and elder brother of the former mayor, went there and allegedly threatened Shamim. After some time, the police arrested Shamim Ashraf and took him to the police station. The picture of him wearing handcuffs inside his own business organisation went viral on social media overnight.