Two top leaders of Pabna BNP held
Police file two cases against 400 accusing them of Monday's violence
KS Mahmud (L) and Habibur Rahman Tota (R)
Police arrested two top leaders of local BNP from their residences in the town early yesterday. They are Major (retd) KS Mahmud, president of district unit BNP and Habibur Rahman Tota, general secretary of the unit. The arrests followed filing of two cases against them on charge of involvement in Monday's intra-party clash. Police in separate raids arrested Mahmud from his Dilalpur residence and Tota from his Shibrampur residence in the town at about 5:30am. Later, a court sent them to jail. Officer in-charge of Pabna police station Md. Afzal Hossain said the cases were filed with on Monday night for creating violence, disrupting public life and assaulting on duty policemen. Sub Inspector Md. Abdul Bari and Sub Inspector Zia filed the cases-one for attack on policemen and the other under speedy trial act. KS Mahmud and Habibur Rahman Tota are accused in both the cases, the OC said. Around four hundred BNP men have been accused in the cases. The cases named 29 leaders including Pabna district unit BNP president KS Mahmud, vice president Abdullah Al Mahamud, Abdus Samad Khan Montu, general secretary Habibur Rahman Tota, organising secretary Mahamudunnabi Swapon and office secretary Zohurul Islam. Police are conducting drives to nab the other accused, the OC said. However, no case was lodged in connection with the death of BNP activist Milon in the clash till filing of this report at 3:00pm yesterday. Milon Hossain, 25, son of Rahim Baksh of Tulapatti in the town, was killed and 20 others were injured in the clash. Local municipality Mayor Quamrul Hasan Minto and district BNP president KS Mahmud had long been at loggerheads over establishing their dominance in the party. The rival supporters locked in a fierce clash at Abdul Hamid Road over taking control of the district party office on Monday. A chase and counter-chase took place amid several gunshots during the incident that left 15 people injured, five with bullets, from the both groups. Bullet-hit Milon was rushed to Sadar Hospital where doctors declared him dead. BNP rival faction on Monday brought out a procession with the body of Milon and later buried him at night. Meanwhile, the BNP rival faction at press conference in the town yesterday demanded punishment of the killers of Milon. They also blamed Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas, personal assistant to party chief Khaleda Zia, for the intra-party clash on Monday. Shimul triggered feud in the party by forming a new district committee with the people of his choice and dropping the devoted partymen, they said.
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