Tortured FF in hospital, family under open sky

Injured and ousted from home by land grabbers two weeks ago, freedom fighter Farid Uddin is still reeling from the trauma, lying at the bed of Hatibandha Upazila Health Complex in the district.

"To occupy 10 decimals of household land of freedom fighter Farid Uddin, 73, local muscleman Shamsul Islam Sufi and his men attacked him and his family members twice at their Bichhondoi village home of Dawabari union in Hatibandha upazila on December 12 and 14 nights," said Rezaul Karim, officer-in-charge of Hatibandha Police Station.

"The criminals injured the freedom fighter and vandalised and looted the house. A case was lodged against eight named accused and 5-6 unnamed accused in this regard and police have already arrested three people including the main culprit," the OC said.

The arrestees are Shamsul Islam Sufi, 47, son of late Soleman Goni, his younger brother Saiful Islam Manik, 43, and his relative Emdadul Haque, 38, of Bichhondoi village.

"I purchased the land from a resident of the village ten years ago and the man is still alive. But suddenly Shamsul Islam Sufi claimed ownership of our homestead land," said Farid Uddin.

"They attacked us with sharp weapons. They vandalised and looted assets from our houses during the two attacks. We are passing days under the open sky with our remaining belongings on a cropland," said Farid's wife Achhiya Begum.

"The attackers' men are giving death threat to us to withdraw the case," she said.

Injured Farid Uddin at the local upazila health complex. PHOTO: STAR

At a protest meeting organised by freedom fighters of Hatibandha yesterday, Upazila Muktijoddha Sangsad Commander Abdul Gafur warned of a tougher programme if police fail to arrest all the culprits involved in the crime by December 27.

"The main culprit, Shamsul Islam Sufi earlier served as secretary of Jamaat-e-Islami's ward No 5 unit under Dawabari union for long. He joined Awami League and became its ward unit secretary in 2012 through managing upazila AL leaders," he said.

The union unit AL president Delowar Rahman Babla and 5 No ward AL president Joynal Hossain confirmed Sufi's present and past political positions.

Hatibandha OC Rezaul Karim said police assured security to the affected freedom fighter's family and are trying to arrest the remaining accused, who went into hiding.