NGO official held in Jessore

Police arrested Binay Krishno Mallick, executive director of Rights Jessore, at his Jessore home last night, hours after he made an allegation of harassment against the district superintendent of police.

He was arrested in a forgery case filed with Narsingdi Police Station, said Ilias Hossain, officer-in-charge of Jessore Kotwali Police Station.

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A joint team of Narsingdi and Jessore police picked up Binay from his residence around 7:30pm, the OC added. 

Pallabi Sarkar, wife of Binay's younger brother Nirmal Mallick, said some 10/12 men picked up Binay from his Ghope Naowapara home.

Rights Jessore, a local NGO, works for trafficking victims.

Speaking at a press conference at Jessore Press Club earlier in the day, Binay alleged that SP Anisur Rahman was harassing him and his family members over a movement protesting removal of homes and business outlets from a piece of land leased from the government.

He said plainclothes men abducted his elder son Sabuj Mallick from Jessore town on March 9. Later, Sabuj was shown arrested by Fultola police in Khulna allegedly for possession of phensedyl.

The rights activist expressed fear that he might be abducted or arrested.

Visiting the land in the town's Garikhana area recently, this newspaper found that a boundary wall had been constructed around the land and a signboard reading “Police's Own Property” put up there.

Despite repeated attempts, this correspondent could not reach SP Anisur for his comments as he did not pick up his phone.