Jamaat leader arrested in case over assault on OC, police at station

Police have arrested Mizanur Rahman Mizan, 35, a Jamaat-e-Islami leader, in connection with a case filed over the assault on an Officer-in-Charge and other police members inside Palashbari Police Station in Gaibandha. Palashbari Police Station OC Khan Sarowar Alam confirmed the matter on Friday afternoon, March 27.

Mizan was arrested in a joint operation by police and DB in the early hours of Friday from his home in Gridharipur village.

The arrested, Mizanur Rahman Mizan, is the current secretary of the professionals wing of Palashbari upazila Jamaat and son of Golam Mostafa of Gridharipur village. He is also a former ameer of Palashbari municipal Jamaat and was president of the upazila Chhatra Shibir in 2013-14.

On the night of March 25, around 10:00 pm, Palashbari upazila Jamaat's youth wing baitul mal secretary Mahmudul Hasan Palash, along with several young men, went to Palashbari Police Station with a complaint. An argument broke out during discussions with the OC. Police alleged that Palash demanded the immediate closure of an unresolved open business establishment and exerted pressure. When the OC refused, Palash and his companions attacked him. When other police officers tried to intervene, they were also assaulted, leaving nine police members, including a female constable, injured.

Following the incident, ASI Ruhul Amin, who was injured, filed a case on March 26, naming nine individuals and 12-13 unidentified persons as accused.

The main accused in the case is Palash Ahmed, 35, youth wing baitul mal secretary of Palashbari upazila Jamaat. Other accused include Mahfuz Rahman Sinha, 28; Touhidul Islam Kanon, 33; Mehedi Hasan, 35; Saddam Hossain, 30; and Shaon, 35, from the same village; Goljar Rahman, 32, from Boiriharinamari village; Sobuj Mia, 32, from East Gopinathpur village; and Abdul Malek, 37, from Jamalpur village.

One individual, Touhidul Islam, was detained from the scene on the day of the incident and later sent to jail. Touhidul Islam is reportedly the upazila correspondent of the daily Gonokantho. With his arrest, two individuals have now been detained in this case.