‘I will burn one, I have chosen you’, BNP leader’s threat to businessman

Farid Uddin Gazi, member of Bauphal upazila BNP, has been accused of threatening to burn and kill a businessman named Gobinda Chandra Mandal in Bauphal of Patuakhali. A one-minute 57-second audio related to this has spread on the social media Facebook. Gobinda Chandra Mandal filed a general diary in this regard at Bauphal thana on Thursday.

In the audio Farid Uddin Gazi tells Gobinda Chandra Mandal, ‘A desire is rising in me, do you understand? I will burn one... I have chosen you.’ After that he asks whether the businessman has any comment or reaction on this matter.

At one stage of the conversation Farid Gazi says he had gone to look for Gobinda in the morning but did not find him in the area. Later he asks when Gobinda will return to the area. At one point he says whether Gobinda will inform him when he comes to the area or whether he himself will have to keep track of the news.

Gobinda Chandra Mandal is a resident of Bauphal Sadar union. He does land buying and selling business in Dhaka. Besides, he also has businesses of cattle and poultry farms and fish enclosures in the area.

Gobinda claims that he has been receiving threats in various ways since announcing his candidacy for the upcoming union parishad chairman election. He has also hung banners and festoons in the area informing about his candidacy. In continuation of this Farid Uddin Gazi has threatened to burn and kill him, according to his allegation.

Gobinda further claims that Farid Gazi had earlier threatened him over mobile phone and demanded 50 lakh Tk as toll. However, he could not record the conversation of that time. After the latest threat he is suffering from insecurity and filed the general diary at the thana.

Farid Uddin Gazi’s house is in Bilbilash village of Bauphal Sadar union. He is a member of the upazila BNP. Locals claim that although he himself has not announced candidacy for the chairman post, he has a preferred candidate. However, Farid Gazi’s statement on this matter could not be obtained.

Meanwhile, police arrested Farid Gazi in a cheque fraud case on Thursday evening after the allegation of threat to the businessman surfaced. Officer-in-charge of Bauphal thana Sirajul Islam said Farid Gazi has been arrested in another case. Necessary legal measures will also be taken regarding Gobinda Chandra Mandal’s allegation.

Regarding the allegation, Patuakhali district BNP president Snehangshu Sarkar Kutti said the upazila BNP leaders have been asked to investigate the allegation against Farid Uddin Gazi and send a report and recommendation for measures to the district. Organizational measures will be taken after the investigation.

Upazila BNP member secretary Apel Mahmud (Firoz) said the district BNP has been informed about Farid Gazi. Recommendation for taking measures against him is being sent as per the directive of the district leaders.

Attempts were made to contact Farid Uddin Gazi for his statement on the allegation but it was not possible. As he is in jail after being arrested in another case, his statement could not be obtained.

Police said necessary measures will be taken as per law after verifying the source of the spread audio and the authenticity of the allegation.